Question 1

What is ICD-10 code H61.033?

Accepted Answer

H61.033 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for chondritis of external ear, bilateral. Inflammation of the cartilage in both external ears, causing pain and potential deformity of the ear structure. H61.033 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).

H61.033 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.

Verify documentation specifies bilateral involvement; if only one ear is affected, use H61.031 or H61.032 instead.

Question 2

Is H61.033 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. H61.033 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 H61.033 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. H61.033 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. H61.033 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 H61.033?

Accepted Answer

H61.033 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 H61.033 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 H61.033?

Accepted Answer

Verify documentation specifies bilateral involvement; if only one ear is affected, use H61.031 or H61.032 instead Chondritis may be associated with relapsing polychondritis or trauma; review clinical notes for underlying cause

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H61.033

Is H61.033 an HCC code?

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H61.033 ICD-10-CM Code: Chondritis of external ear, bilateral

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H61.033

Is H61.033 an HCC code?

What This Code Means

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Child Codes

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Open H61.033 in the Interactive Encoder