What can I claim secondary to otitis media?
2 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list otitis media as a factor. If DVA has accepted your otitis media, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionOtitis media
- Conditions it may open2
- SourceRMA SoPs
- Chart Review$600 + GST
How a secondary claim works
Some Statement of Principles factors are not about service at all — they name another condition. Where DVA has already accepted your otitis media, and another condition's SoP lists otitis media as a factor, that part of the next claim is already established on your file. How a secondary claim works, in full →
Conditions that list otitis media as a factor
Quoted from the instrument. A pathway existing is not the same as a claim succeeding — each factor carries thresholds your record has to satisfy.
Conductive hearing loss
RH No. 81 of 2019 · BoP No. 82 of 2019
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having chronic otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (23): “having chronic otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (9): “having chronic otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, at the time of the clinical onset of conductive hearing loss” [clinical onset] — factor (21): “having chronic otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, at the time of the clinical worsening of conductive hearing loss” [worsening]
Note: chronic otitis media is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Otitis externa
RH No. 25 of 2021 · BoP No. 26 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical onset of otitis externa” [clinical onset] — factor (23): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of otitis externa” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (10): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical onset of otitis externa” [clinical onset] — factor (23): “having chronic suppurative otitis media, involving the middle ear of the affected side, within the 30 days before the clinical worsening of otitis externa” [worsening]
Note: chronic suppurative otitis media is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Other accepted conditions that also open conductive hearing loss
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions otitis media does.
What DVA means by otitis media
A claim is tested against the definition first. If the diagnosis on your file does not meet this wording, the factors below never get reached — so it is worth checking that what your doctor wrote matches what the instrument requires.
Otitis media, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, otitis media: (a) means an infective or inflammatory process within the middle ear; and (b) excludes cholesteatoma and isolated perforation of the tympanic membrane. (3) While otitis media attracts ICD-10-AM code H65, H66 or H67 in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of otitis media is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Note the exclusion. This instrument expressly excludes cholesteatoma and isolated perforation of the tympanic membrane. A diagnosis of that is not a diagnosis of otitis media, and a claim framed the wrong way fails on the definition before any factor is considered.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(16) to 9(31) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, otitis media where it was already present before or during service. If service caused otitis media outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 62 of 2022 · BoP No. 63 of 2022 · 25 factors
What could support a claim for otitis media?
The Statement of Principles for otitis media names 5 other conditions among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a otitis media claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Allergic rhinitis
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (3): “having allergic rhinitis or sinusitis within the 7 days before the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (18): “having allergic rhinitis or sinusitis within the 7 days before the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Otitic barotrauma
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (8): “having an episode of otitic barotrauma involving the affected ear within the 7 days before the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (23): “having an episode of otitic barotrauma involving the affected ear within the 7 days before the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Tuberculosis
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (9): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (24): “having tuberculosis or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the time of the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (25): “having gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Ascariasis
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (12): “having ascariasis or myiasis of the ear, nose or throat at the time of the clinical onset of otitis media” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (27): “having ascariasis or myiasis of the ear, nose or throat at the time of the clinical worsening of otitis media” [worsening]
Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins
Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →
Otitis media accepted?
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