ICD-10 Guide

Hard Of Hearing

ICD-10 Coding for Hard of Hearing(H90.3, H90.6)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYOtolaryngology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Hard Of Hearing?

Essential facts and insights about Hard of Hearing

Key Clinical Considerations:

Difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments
Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
Increased volume on electronic devices

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history of hearing loss and duration
Results of audiometric testing
Referral notes from primary care or specialists

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Ensure correct laterality is documented.
Common errors include misclassifying the type of hearing loss.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Conductive hearing loss
Hearing loss due to trauma or infection

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Otolaryngology

Specialty Applications

Adults and children with hearing impairment
Otolaryngology clinics and audiology departments

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include audiometric test results and patient history.

Billing considerations?

Verify insurance coverage for audiology services.

Hard Of Hearing

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Hard Of Hearing

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?