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H70.013 ICD-10-CM Code: Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, bilateral

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Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Billable · FY2027A valid, specific ICD-10-CM code, reportable for dates of service in FY2027.

What you need to know

Source: CMS/NCHS Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes, quoted. From the CMS/NCHS tabular list for the release in force. A note the category or block publishes applies to this code too; the Instructions section marks which is which.

The tabular list publishes no instructional note for this code itself.

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Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 152 — OTITIS MEDIA AND URI WITH MCC (MDC 03)
  • MS-DRG 153 — OTITIS MEDIA AND URI WITHOUT MCC (MDC 03)
  • MS-DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
  • MS-DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coder workflow for H70.013

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code H70.013

  1. Laterality is coded in this family. Confirm the side documented — right, left, or bilateral — and select the matching code (this page’s code: bilateral). The unspecified-side code applies only when the record states no side. Laterality is assigned from the documented side; where a bilateral code exists and both sides are documented, it is used instead of two unilateral codes (Guidelines I.B.13).

    See the relationships section · Guide: Laterality coding →

Choose the right path

  1. Is the side documented?
    Yes → Select the code for the documented side (or the bilateral code when both sides are documented and one exists).
    No → Use the unspecified-side code only when the record states no side; a query is the alternative.

Consider H70.013. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
Laterality
Right, left or bilateral as documented; unspecified only when the record states no side (Guidelines I.B.13).

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: The record documents the condition on one side only.

Coding question: Which code in this family applies?

Path: Select the sibling code for the documented side.

Reason: Laterality is assigned from the documented side; the unspecified-side code is for records that state no side (Guidelines I.B.13).

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse H70.013 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of H70.013 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

  • H70.019— Specificity relationship (Review)

    Overlapping diagnoses in the same category.

    Overlapping codes in the same category — the documentation decides which is the more specific fit.

    What moves you there: A record that documents no more than “Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, unspecified ear” takes H70.019; specificity in the record moves it back here.

    Full comparison: H70.013 vs H70.019 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Coding context

Guidelines, coding notes, decision aids, relationships (with MS-DRG and CCSR classification), hierarchy, HCC, coverage and the context map: what a coder reaches for after the core. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Code Overview

Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, bilateral is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (H70.013).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Official Coding Guidelines

No excerpt in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines names this code specifically. Its chapter carries only this chapter-wide note:

Chapter 8: Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95)

Reserved for future guideline expansion

Verify Before Coding

  • CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2027). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder-derived relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name H70.013 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes2 note: H74 — Other disorders of middle ear mastoid (via H70.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2027)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2027 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 76 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.

Named in the grouper logic of 4 MS-DRGs: DRG 152 (MDC 03), DRG 153 (MDC 03), DRG 791 (MDC 15), DRG 793 (MDC 15).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):EAR002 — Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (except otitis media) (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical process (MS-DRG)

Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

A18.6 — Tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear, A18.82 — Tuberculosis of other endocrine glands, A18.84 — Tuberculosis of heart, A18.89 — Tuberculosis of other sites, H70.001 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, right ear, H70.002 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, left ear, H70.003 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, bilateral, H70.009 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, unspecified ear, H70.011 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, right ear, H70.012 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, left ear, H70.019 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, unspecified ear, H70.091 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, right ear, H70.092 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, left ear, H70.093 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, bilateral, H70.099 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, unspecified ear, H70.10 — Chronic mastoiditis, unspecified ear, H70.11 — Chronic mastoiditis, right ear, H70.12 — Chronic mastoiditis, left ear, H70.13 — Chronic mastoiditis, bilateral, H70.201 — Unspecified petrositis, right ear, +55 more

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (except otitis media)).

H69.90 — Unspecified Eustachian tube disorder, unspecified ear, H69.91 — Unspecified Eustachian tube disorder, right ear, H69.92 — Unspecified Eustachian tube disorder, left ear, H69.93 — Unspecified Eustachian tube disorder, bilateral, H70.001 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, right ear, H70.002 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, left ear, H70.003 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, bilateral, H70.009 — Acute mastoiditis without complications, unspecified ear, H70.011 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, right ear, H70.012 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, left ear, H70.019 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, unspecified ear, H70.091 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, right ear, H70.092 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, left ear, H70.093 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, bilateral, H70.099 — Acute mastoiditis with other complications, unspecified ear, H70.10 — Chronic mastoiditis, unspecified ear, H70.11 — Chronic mastoiditis, right ear, H70.12 — Chronic mastoiditis, left ear, H70.13 — Chronic mastoiditis, bilateral, H70.201 — Unspecified petrositis, right ear, +204 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Mastoiditis”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

A18.03 — Tuberculosis of other bones (tuberculous), B89 — Unspecified parasitic disease (in, parasitic disease NEC), B99 — Other and unspecified infectious diseases (in, infectious disease NEC)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of H70.013 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run H70.013 with this related code in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 03 — Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 5,151 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027
  • MDC 15 — Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period[MDC crossing]: “Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027

Nearest codes (40)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Reference

Index terms and tables, published questions and FAQ, every source behind this page with its release and checksum, the date-of-service check and the complete change history.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2027 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2026 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Coding guidelines Official source data
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY2027), quoted by section Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v44.0 (October 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v44 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder-derived relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder editorial explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder-derived relationship · MedCoder editorial explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates · CMS coding rules

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "H70.013 — Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, bilateral." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/h70.013-subperiosteal-abscess-of-mastoid-bilateral

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Subperiosteal abscess of mastoid, bilateral

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027, and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to H70.013 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the H70 family