Impacted cerumen, right ear 1 H61.21 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. 2 The 2021 edition of ICD-10-CM H61.21 became effective on October 1, 2020. 3 This is the American ICD-10-CM version of H61.21 - other international versions of ICD-10 H61.21 may differ. More ...
2018/2019 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H61.23. Impacted cerumen, bilateral. 2016 2017 2018 2019 Billable/Specific Code Questionable As Admission Dx. H61.23 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
For removal by lavage, the correct code is 69209 Removal impacted cerumen using irrigation/lavage, unilateral. For removal using instrumentation (e.g., forceps, curette, etc.), turn instead to 69210 Removal impacted cerumen requiring instrumentation, unilateral.
Both 69209 and 69210 are unilateral procedures. For removal of impacted earwax from both ears, append modifier 50 Bilateral procedure to the appropriate code. In the example above of the 7-year-old child, if irrigation occurred in both ears, appropriate coding is 69209-50. When billing Medicare payers, different bilateral rules apply for 69210.
ICD-10 code H61. 22 for Impacted cerumen, left ear is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Diseases of the ear and mastoid process .
Like CPT 69210, (removal of impacted cerumen requiring instrumentation, unilateral) 69209 requires that a physician or qualified healthcare professional make the decision to irrigate/lavage. However, unlike 69210, 69209 allows removal to be carried out by clinical staff.
Code 69210 is defined as “removal impacted cerumen (separate procedure), one or both ears.” Use this same code only once to indicate that the procedure was performed, whether it involved removal of impacted cerumen from one or both ears.
380.4 Impacted cerumen - ICD-9-CM Vol. 1 Diagnostic Codes.
You may not bill CPT code 69209 with CPT code 69210, “removal impacted cerumen requiring instrumentation, unilateral,” for the same ear. However, CPT codes 69209 and 69210 can be billed for the same encounter if impacted cerumen is removed from one ear using instrumentation and from the other ear using lavage.
A: The coder would report CPT code 69210 (removal impacted cerumen requiring instrumentation, unilateral) with modifier -50 (bilateral procedure) twice. Alternatively, the coder could report code 69210 twice with modifiers -LT (left side) and -RT (right side).
Cerumen impaction is defined as an accumulation of cerumen that causes symptoms or prevents assessment of the ear canal, tympanic membrane, or audiovestibular system; complete obstruction is not required.
Group 1CodeDescription69209REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE, UNILATERAL69210REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN REQUIRING INSTRUMENTATION, UNILATERALG0268REMOVAL OF IMPACTED CERUMEN (ONE OR BOTH EARS) BY PHYSICIAN ON SAME DATE OF SERVICE AS AUDIOLOGIC FUNCTION TESTING
modifier 50Additionally, the descriptor of 69210 has been clarified to reflect that the code is inherently unilateral. For bilateral impacted cerumen removal, report code 69210 with modifier 50, Bilateral Procedure, appended.
When all of those conditions are met, an appropriate office visit E/M code may be reported with 69209 or 69210. Modifier 25 (significant and separately identifiable E/M service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) should be appended to the E/M visit code.
earwaxDefinition of cerumen : earwax. Other Words from cerumen Example Sentences Learn More About cerumen.
Code. Description. 69209. REMOVAL IMPACTED CERUMEN USING IRRIGATION/LAVAGE, UNILATERAL.
A new cerumen impaction code was revealed at the annual CPT® AMA Symposium. The new code, 69209 (Removal impacted cerumen using irrigation/lavage unilateral) has no work value RVUs. As a result, the procedure can be performed by a nurse as presented in the clinical example from the AMA Editorial Panel.
Both 69209 and 69210 are unilateral procedures. For removal of impacted earwax from both ears, append modifier 50 Bilateral procedure to the appropriate code. In the example above of the 7-year-old child, if irrigation occurred in both ears, appropriate coding is 69209-50.
This code is included in the surgical section of CPT and correct coding requires that this be reported with modifier -50 for a bilateral procedure. In fact, there is a specific parenthetical note that states “For bilateral procedure, report 69209 with modifier -50”.
Both 69209 and 69210 are unilateral procedures . For removal of impacted earwax from both ears, append modifier 50 Bilateral procedure to the appropriate code. In the example above of the 7-year-old child, if irrigation occurred in both ears, appropriate coding is 69209-50.#N#When billing Medicare payers, different bilateral rules apply for 69210. The 2016 Medicare National Physician Fee Schedule Relative Value File assigns 69210 a “2” bilateral indicator. This means, for Medicare payers, the relative value units assigned to 69210 “are already based on the procedure being performed as a bilateral procedure.” In contrast to CPT® instructions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) allows us to report only one unit of 69210 for a bilateral procedure. CMS does allow us to bill a bilateral procedure for cerumen removal by lavage using 69209-50.#N#Finally, note that some payers may stipulate “advanced practitioner skill” is necessary to report removal of impacted earwax (i.e., payers may require that a physician provide 69209, 69210). Query your individual payers to be certain of their requirements.
CPT® guidelines tell us, “For cerumen removal that is not impacted, see E/M service code …” such as new or established office patient (99201-99215), subsequent hospital care (99231-99233), etc. In other words: If the earwax isn’t impacted, removal is included in the documented evaluation and management (E/M) service reported and may not be separately billed.#N#Per the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), cerumen is impacted if one or more of the following conditions are present: 1 Cerumen impairs the examination of clinically significant portions of the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane, or middle ear condition; 2 Extremely hard, dry, irritative cerumen causes symptoms such as pain, itching, hearing loss, etc.; 3 Cerumen is associated with foul odor, infection, or dermatitis; or 4 Obstructive, copious cerumen cannot be removed without magnification and multiple instrumentations requiring physician skills.
A 7-year-old male child comes in for his well-child exam. He fails his hearing screen in the left ear. On examination, the physician is unable to see the tympanic membrane due to cerumen impaction. An order is placed for the nurse to irrigate the ear.
In fact, the American Family Physician website tells us that cerumen removal is the most common ear, nose, and throat (ENT) procedure performed in primary care. If the cerumen is impacted, the method used to remove it.
John Verhovshek, MA, CPC, is a contributing editor at AAPC. He has been covering medical coding and billing, healthcare policy, and the business of medicine since 1999. He is an alumnus of York College of Pennsylvania and Clemson University.