Excludes1 pair
H90- vs H91.3
H90 and H91.3 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on H90
deaf nonspeaking NEC (H91.3)
H90
Conductive and sensorineural hearing loss
Not billable
- Chapter 8
- Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
- Section
- H90-H94
H91.3
Deaf nonspeaking, not elsewhere classified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 8
- Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
- Section
- H90-H94
Indexed under
- Deaf nonspeaking NEC
- Deafmutism NEC (acquired) (congenital)
- Deafness › nonspeaking
- Mutism › deaf NEC (acquired) (congenital)
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