Question 1

What is ICD-10 code H61.003?

Accepted Answer

H61.003 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified perichondritis of external ear, bilateral. Inflammation of the cartilage and surrounding tissue of both external ears without a specified type or cause. H61.003 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).

H61.003 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 when perichondritis is documented but the type (acute vs. chronic) is not specified and it affects both ears.

Question 2

Is H61.003 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. H61.003 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any payment HCC category under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can still be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions, but it does not contribute to the beneficiary's Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) score and therefore does not affect the risk-adjusted capitation payment to the plan. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026.

Question 3

Is H61.003 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. H61.003 is a billable ICD-10-CM code that can be reported on professional and institutional claims as a primary or secondary diagnosis when the provider documentation supports the specific condition described. Billable codes in ICD-10-CM are coded to the highest level of specificity available for the documented diagnosis. H61.003 is current for fiscal year 2026 and remains in the active CMS ICD-10-CM code set published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Question 4

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for H61.003?

Accepted Answer

H61.003 does not map to a payment HCC under either the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model or the older V24 model. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition. Because neither model rewards H61.003 with a risk adjustment factor, it contributes zero to a Medicare Advantage beneficiary's RAF score in either version. Coders should check whether provider documentation supports a more specific child code that does map to a payment HCC.

Question 5

What should coders know when reporting H61.003?

Accepted Answer

Use this code when perichondritis is documented but the type (acute vs. chronic) is not specified and it affects both ears Verify documentation to determine if acute or chronic perichondritis can be identified before defaulting to unspecified

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H61.003

Is H61.003 an HCC code?

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H61.003 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified perichondritis of external ear, bilateral

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H61.003

Is H61.003 an HCC code?

What This Code Means

Coding Tips

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Open H61.003 in the Interactive Encoder