On October 1, 2016, new ICD-10-CM codes were released that increase the specificity of hearing loss codes, applying specifically to coding the type of hearing loss when it differs between ears. Previously, when the types of hearing loss differed between ears, audiologists were required to code an unspecified type of hearing loss for each ear and could not specify right versus left ears in this scenario (i.e. sensorineural hearing loss, unspecified; conductive hearing loss, unspecified; mixed hearing loss, unspecified).
Topic(s): Coding, Reimbursement