2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q16.5Congenital malformation of inner ear
ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q10-Q18›Q16
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- POA Exempt
- Chronic Condition
Q16.5 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital malformation of inner 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. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
Q16.5 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review the other POA exempt codes in Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18).
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Aplasia of the cochlea and vestibular labyrinth
- Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea
- Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea due to congenital deformity of labyrinth
- Complete deafness
- Congenital abnormal shape of inner ear
- Congenital absence of membranous labyrinth
- Congenital anomaly of cochlea
- Congenital anomaly of inner ear
- Congenital anomaly of membranous labyrinth
- Congenital anomaly of organ of Corti
- Congenital anomaly of semicircular canal
- Congenital anomaly of vestibule of inner ear
- Congenital aplasia of inner ear
- Congenital cochleovestibular malformation
- Congenital deafness
- Congenital deafness with labyrinthine aplasia, microtia and microdontia
- Congenital deformity of labyrinth
- Congenital dysplasia of ear vestibule
- Congenital hypoplasia of semicircular canal
- Congenital hypoplasia of vestibular structure of inner ear
- Congenital malformation of bilateral inner ears
- Congenital malformation of left inner ear
- Congenital malformation of right inner ear
- Incomplete development of membranous labyrinth
- Incomplete formation of bony cochlea
- Microdontia
- Microtia
- Mondini defect
- Structural anomaly of the cochlea and vestibular labyrinth
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Q16.5: its own notes plus those printed at Q16, block Q10-Q18, and Chapter 17. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Applicable To
Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.
- Congenital anomaly of membranous labyrinth
- Congenital anomaly of organ of Corti
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
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.
- cleft lip and cleft palate (Q35-Q37)
- congenital malformation of cervical spine (Q05.0, Q05.5, Q67.5, Q76.0-Q76.4)
- congenital malformation of larynx (Q31.-)
- congenital malformation of lip NEC (Q38.0)
- congenital malformation of nose (Q30.-)
- congenital malformation of parathyroid gland (Q89.2)
- congenital malformation of thyroid gland (Q89.2)
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- Codes from this chapter are not for use on maternal records
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name Q16.5, its category, or a range that includes it.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Absence (of) (organ or part) (complete or partial)
inner Q16.5
inner ear, congenital Q16.5
labyrinth, membranous Q16.5
of Corti, congenital Q16.5
labyrinth, membranous Q16.5
of Corti Q16.5
Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) Q89.9
inner Q16.5
labyrinth, membranous Q16.5
of Corti Q16.5
Aplasia See Also: Agenesis;
labyrinth, membranous Q16.5
ear (acquired) See Also: Disorder, pinna, deformity;
Enlargement, enlarged See Also: Hypertrophy;
vestibular aqueduct Q16.5
Malformation (congenital) See Also: Anomaly;
cochlea Q16.5
inner Q16.5
internal ear Q16.5
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Birth Defects
A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother's body. Most birth defects happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.
The full article covers:
- What are birth defects?
- What causes birth defects?
- Who is at risk of having a baby with birth defects?
- How are birth defects diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for birth defects?
- Can birth defects be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert Q16.5 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About Q16.5Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for congenital malformation of inner ear?
The ICD-10-CM code for congenital malformation of inner ear is Q16.5 (sometimes written as Q165). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is Q16.5 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report congenital malformation of inner ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does Q16.5 group to?
When congenital malformation of inner 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 Q16.5 exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for congenital malformation of inner ear on inpatient claims. The code appears in the Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18) range of the CMS exempt list.
Can Q16.5 be reported with a code from H90?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at Q16, which applies to Q16.5, lists "congenital deafness (H90.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
