2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H60.03Abscess of external ear, bilateral

ICD-10-CM Codes›H60–H95›H60-H62›H60

ICD-10-CM H60.03
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H60.03 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for abscess of external ear, bilateral. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. Coders also document this condition as abscess of bilateral external ears. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified disorders of the ear.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H60.03
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Abscess of external ear, bilateral
Short Description
Abscess of external ear, bilateral
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H60.0
Abscess of external ear

Code Classification

ChapterH60–H95Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
SectionH60-H62Diseases of external ear
CategoryH60Otitis externa
This CodeH60.03Abscess of external ear, bilateral

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Abscess of bilateral external ears
  • Abscess of external ear
  • Abscess of left external ear
  • Abscess of right external ear

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR EAR006
Other specified and unspecified disorders of the ear
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert H60.03 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
380.10 Infec otitis externa NOS
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About H60.03Overview

Is H60.03 (Abscess of external ear) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report abscess of external ear, bilateral on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does H60.03 group to?

When abscess of external ear, bilateral is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 154, 155, 156, with relative weights from 0.6911 to 1.5635 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H60.03?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, abscess of external ear, bilateral converts to ICD-9-CM 380.10 (infec otitis externa NOS). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.