Skip to content

H60.93 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified otitis externa, bilateral

ICD-10-CM Code View

HCC Buddy Code Card

Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95) / Diseases of external ear (H60-H62)

H60.93

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Unspecified otitis externa, bilateral

This code describes an infection or inflammation of the outer ear canal affecting both ears, where the specific cause or type has not been determined. It's commonly known as swimmer's ear when caused by water exposure or bacterial infection.

CMS-HCC V28

0

0

RAF 0

CMS-HCC V24

0

0

RAF 0

ACA/HHS

0

0

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

0

0

RAF 0

RXHCC

0

0

RAF 0

Code Trumping

Basket needed

Code Book Path

Official
H60Otitis externa
H60.9Unspecified otitis externa
H60.93Unspecified otitis externa, bilateral

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for H60.93 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for H60.93 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
H60.90Unspecified otitis externa, unspecified ear
H60.91Unspecified otitis externa, right ear
H60.92Unspecified otitis externa, left ear

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for H60.93 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for H60.93 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for H60.93 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for H60.93 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for H60.93 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Use this code only when otitis externa is documented as bilateral and the specific type (acute, chronic, malignant) cannot be determined from the medical record
If the provider documents a specific type of otitis externa (such as acute, chronic, or malignant), select the appropriate more specific code instead of the unspecified code

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is H60.93 an HCC code?

No. H60.93 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any HCC category in V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC.

Coder workflow notes

Get the V28 RAF + MEAT cheat sheet

One printable page: confirm a code's V28 HCC status, its RAF weight, and the MEAT your note needs to make it stick. Free, no card.

Free PDF. No card. Unsubscribe anytime.

This code does not map to an HCC category in any model (V28, V24, ESRD, RxHCC).

What This Code Means

H60.93 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified otitis externa, bilateral. This code describes an infection or inflammation of the outer ear canal affecting both ears, where the specific cause or type has not been determined. It's commonly known as swimmer's ear when caused by water exposure or bacterial infection. H60.93 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the ear and mastoid process (h60-h95), within the section covering diseases of external ear (h60-h62).

H60.93 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

Use this code only when otitis externa is documented as bilateral and the specific type (acute, chronic, malignant) cannot be determined from the medical record.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for H60.93 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Use this code only when otitis externa is documented as bilateral and the specific type (acute, chronic, malignant) cannot be determined from the medical record
  • If the provider documents a specific type of otitis externa (such as acute, chronic, or malignant), select the appropriate more specific code instead of the unspecified code

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Work H60.93 in HCC Buddy

Open H60.93 in the Code Book for the full Index-to-Tabular path, MEAT checklist, and V28 HCC mapping, or in the Encoder to code from a keyword search. Pro includes 14 days to try everything.