2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H60.20Malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear

ICD-10-CM Codes›H60–H95›H60-H62›H60

ICD-10-CM H60.20
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H60.20 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 20 closely related codes. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. Coders also document this condition as bacterial otitis externa. 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
H60.20
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear
Short Description
Malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H60.2
Malignant otitis externa

Code Classification

ChapterH60–H95Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
SectionH60-H62Diseases of external ear
CategoryH60Otitis externa
This CodeH60.20Malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for H60.20.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bacterial otitis externa
  • Granulomatous otitis externa
  • Malignant otitis externa
  • Malignant otitis externa caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H60.20: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 8. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 8 (H60-H95) Diseases of the ear and mastoid process applies to 653 codes
  • 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)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 8 (H60-H95) Diseases of the ear and mastoid process applies to 653 codes
  • Use an external cause code following the code for the ear condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the ear condition

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

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

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Otitis Externa

    inflammation of the outer ear including the external ear canal, cartilages of the auricle (ear cartilage), and the tympanic membrane.

Patient EducationClinical

Ear Infections

Ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to a doctor. Three out of four children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Adults can also get ear infections, but they are less common.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H60.20 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
380.14 Malignant otitis externa
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About H60.20Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear?

The ICD-10-CM code for malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear is H60.20 (sometimes written as H6020). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H60.20 (Malignant otitis externa) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H60.20 group to?

When malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 156, 155, 154, with relative weights from 0.6656 to 1.5916 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is H60.20 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists H60.20 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 20 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H60.20?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, malignant otitis externa, unspecified ear converts to ICD-9-CM 380.14 (malignant otitis externa). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.