B00.1 vs H62.4
B00.1 and H62.4 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.
The official note, declared on H62.4
herpes viral [herpes simplex] (B00.1)
B00.1
Herpesviral vesicular dermatitis
Billable
- Chapter 1
- Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
- Section
- B00-B09
Use when the record says
- Herpes simplex facialis
- Herpes simplex labialis
- Herpes simplex otitis externa
- Vesicular dermatitis of ear
- Vesicular dermatitis of lip
Indexed under
- Coldsore
- Blister › fever (nonthermal)
- Dermatitis › herpesviral, vesicular (eczematous)
- Dermatitis › vesicular, herpesviral (eczematous)
- Fever › blister (inanition) (of unknown origin) (persistent) (with chills) (with rigor)
H62.4
Otitis externa in other diseases classified elsewhere
Not billable
- Chapter 8
- Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
- Section
- H60-H62
Indexed under
- OtomycosisNEC (diffuse)
- Ear › tropical NEC
- Erysipelas › external ear (gangrenous) (infantile) (newborn) (phlegmonous) (suppurative)
- Impetigo › external ear (any organism) (any site) (circinate) (contagiosa) (simplex) (vulgaris)
- Otitis › externa › mycotic NEC (acute)
These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027