# Coding Hearing loss in -10



## leeannatk (Aug 25, 2015)

Had a great question from one of our audiologists. If we have a pateint with a conductive loss in one ear and a Sensorineural loss in the other how would code that. our concern is that if we code, for example;
H90.11 Conductive hearing loss, unilateral, right ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side (because there is no code to code that the hearing on the contralateral side is NOT normal with a 
H90.42 Sensorineural hearing loss, unilateral, left ear, with unrestricted hearing on the contralateral side
We are wondering if we will run into issues trying to get a hearing aid approved for the left ear - when there is a code out there like H90.11 saying the rights had a conductive loss but the contralateral ear had no restriction.

Or would we go to using H90.6 Mixed conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral? even though "each" ear doesn't have the mixed loss, per se.

I'd welcome any thoughts on this!
Thank you
Lee Ann BSN, CPC, CHA, CANPC, CHC, CHPC
Orlando, FL


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## mitchellde (Aug 25, 2015)

I would need to go with the mixed bilateral since none of the others are correct.


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## bolsen01 (Oct 9, 2015)

*Hearing Loss different each side*

We just had this discussion with our ENT department and a request has gone in to update ICD-10 Section H90 for 2016.  None of the codes match this scenario.  H90.6 (Mixed conductive and sensorineural hearing loss, bilateral) is incorrect when one ear has sensorineural hearing loss and the other has mixed hearing loss. Bilateral means they have the same thing both sides.  H90.6 states that both ears have both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.  The only way to code this scenario for now would be H90.5 (unspecified sensorineural hearing loss) and H90.2 (Conductive hearing loss, unspecified) and use the LT/RT in the CPT codes.  This is not a great solution and needs to be corrected ASAP.  Thank you for bringing this question to the forum.
Barbara Olsen, CPC


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## earcode (Oct 20, 2015)

I agree - Thank You our office is also struggling with this.


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