H67.9 — Otitis media in diseases classified elsewhere, unspecified ear
Is H67.9 billable?
Yes, but H67.9 is an unspecified code. H67.9 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, H67.9 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting H67.9 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
H67.9 at a glance
| Code | H67.9 |
|---|---|
| Description | Otitis media in diseases classified elsewhere, unspecified ear |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
What Medicare edits apply to H67.9?
The Medicare Code Editor screens inpatient claims before they are grouped. These edits name H67.9 directly.
This code describes a manifestation of an underlying disease. The underlying condition must be sequenced before it, so it can never be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.
Which MS-DRGs does H67.9 group to?
H67.9 sits in MDC 03 and helps define the logic of 2 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 152Otitis Media and URI with MCCmedical
- 153Otitis Media and URI without MCCmedical
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from H67
The conditions below can never be reported together with H67.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Code first — inherited from H67
The underlying condition below must be sequenced before H67.9. H67.9 describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.
Use additional code — inherited from H67
Report an additional code alongside H67.9 to fully describe the condition. H67.9 is sequenced first.
- code for any associated perforated tympanic membrane (H72.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 8
The conditions below are not part of H67.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, H67.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
How long has H67.9 existed?
H67.9 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.