The removal of impacted cerumen (69209, 69210, G0268) is only medically necessary when reported with a diagnosis of impacted cerumen (ICD-10 codes H61. 2–H61.
Removal of impacted cerumen is represented by the following two CPT codes:69209 – Removal impacted cerumen using irrigation/lavage, unilateral.69210 – Removal impacted cerumen requiring instrumentation, unilateral.
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.
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.No. 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.
23 Impacted cerumen, bilateral.
For bilateral impacted cerumen removal, report code 69210 with modifier 50, Bilateral Procedure, appended.
CPT code 69210, Removal impacted cerumen, (separate procedure) one or both ears.
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).
Also, it is important to note, when billing for removal of impacted cerumen (69210), the claim should included the ICD-9 diagnosis code of 380.4 (Impacted cerumen). The cerumen removal is incidental to and inclusive of the diagnostic testing and thus cannot be billed to either Medicare or the beneficiary.
CMS does allow us to bill a bilateral procedure for cerumen removal by lavage using 69209-50. 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).
Impacted cerumen removal is the extraction of hardened or accumulated cerumen (ear wax) from the external auditory canal by mechanical means, such as irrigation or debridement.
Additionally, the descriptor of 69210 has been clarified to reflect that the code is inherently unilateral.
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).
Reporting 69210 Documentation should indicate the equipment used to provide the service. CPT® considers this procedure unilateral and states, “For bilateral procedure, report 69210 with modifier 50.” Contradictory to CPT®, Medicare considers this a bilateral procedure and prices it as such.
e. 69210 is not to be used for billing of removal of non-impacted cerumen – use an appropriate E&M code instead. 3 g. 69210 is allowed when billed in conjunction with one of the following: 92550, 92552, 92553, 92556, 92567, 92570, 92579, 92582, 92587.
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM H61.2 became effective on October 1, 2021.
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)
380.4 is a legacy non-billable code used to specify a medical diagnosis of impacted cerumen. This code was replaced on September 30, 2015 by its ICD-10 equivalent.
Meniere's disease may be the result of fluid problems in your inner ear; its symptoms include tinnitus and dizziness.
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM H61.20 became effective on October 1, 2021.
H61.20 is not usually sufficient justification for admission to an acute care hospital when used a principal diagnosis. The following code (s) above H61.20 contain annotation back-references. Annotation Back-References.
Effective from April 1, 2010, non-covered services should be billed with modifier –GA, -GX, -GY, or –GZ, as appropriate.
CPT is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. AMA warrants that due to the nature of CPT, it does not manipulate or process dates, therefore there is no Year 2000 issue with CPT. AMA disclaims responsibility for any errors in CPT that may arise as a result of CPT being used in conjunction with any software and/or hardware system that is not Year 2000 compliant. No fee schedules, basic unit, relative values or related listings are included in CPT. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The responsibility for the content of this file/product is with CMS and no endorsement by the AMA is intended or implied. The AMA disclaims responsibility for any consequences or liability attributable to or related to any use, non-use, or interpretation of information contained or not contained in this file/product. This Agreement will terminate upon no upon notice if you violate its terms. The AMA is a third party beneficiary to this Agreement.