H62.4Otitis externa in other diseases classified elsewhere

H62.4 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for otitis externa in other diseases classified elsewhere. It belongs to category H62 (disorders of external ear in diseases classified elsewhere), block H60-H62 (diseases of external ear) and chapter 8 (diseases of the ear and mastoid process). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 4 subcodes must be used instead.

Within H62, choose H62.4 (Otitis externa in other diseases classified elsewhere) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: other disorders of external ear in diseases classified elsewhere (H62.8).

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: H62.40 (unspecified ear), H62.41 (right ear), H62.42 (left ear) and H62.43 (bilateral).

Don't report H62.4 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: candidiasis (B37.84), herpes viral [herpes simplex] (B00.1) and herpes zoster (B02.8).

Code first underlying disease, such as: erysipelas (A46) and impetigo (L01.0-).

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.