Summary & Overview
HCPCS G8562: No Active Ear Drainage in Past 90 Days
HCPCS Level II code G8562 documents that a patient has not experienced active ear drainage in the prior 90 days. As a status code rather than a procedural charge, it provides a discrete clinical datapoint used in ear-related assessments, surveillance, and care coordination. Nationally, standardized use of this code supports clearer communication across outpatient and ambulatory settings, and can affect quality measurement and documentation workflows.
Key payers referenced for coverage considerations include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of what G8562 represents, typical sites of service, and how the code fits into clinical documentation practices. The publication summarizes common modifiers seen alongside this code in billing data, notes where related clinical and coding context may apply, and outlines how G8562 is used in administrative and quality-reporting scenarios.
This piece is intended to help billing managers, clinical coders, and policy analysts understand the purpose and placement of G8562 within otologic documentation and outpatient care workflows. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
HCPCS Level II code G8562 indicates that the patient does not have a history of active drainage from the ear within the previous 90 days. This code documents the absence of recent otorrhea and is used to capture clinical status related to ear drainage when assessing ear health.
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Service Type: Clinical assessment for ear drainage history
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Typical Site of Service: Outpatient clinic or ambulatory care setting where ear examinations and history-taking occur
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A patient presents to an outpatient otolaryngology or primary care clinic for routine evaluation of chronic ear symptoms. The patient has no history of active drainage from the ear within the previous 90 days, and documentation is being collected to support quality measures and appropriate coding. Typical workflow: clinician documents history and ear exam (otoscopy) noting absence of otorrhea or purulent drainage for at least 90 days, updates problem list (for example chronic serous otitis or tympanostomy tube status), and records the G-code G8562 in the encounter as an attestation that there has been no active ear drainage in the prior 90 days. Typical sites of service include office-based otolaryngology clinics, pediatric primary care offices, family medicine clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers when preoperative clearance is required. A realistic patient scenario: a 35-year-old adult with prior tympanostomy tubes for recurrent otitis media attends a follow-up visit; current exam shows intact external canal without drainage, patient-reported no ear drainage in 6 months, and the clinician documents G8562 to denote no active drainage in the prior 90 days for quality reporting and care continuity.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services |