Billing and coding for destruction of benign lesions

[Guest guest]

Can anybody tell me what is the average charge for destruction of irritated

seborrheic keratoses? BTW, I treated them with a cryopen.

Also, is there a different billing code (other than listed below) I should use

since they are benign lesions? I know that normally benign lesions are not

covered by insurance. However I'm under the impression that if they are

irritated, bleeding, etc. then they're more likely to be covered. However, I'm

not sure if I need to use a different code in this circumstance. I believe I

only need to document the appearance or state of the lesion in the medical

record.

This is what I found for the CPT codes:

Plantar wart and keratosis destruction. The treatment of common warts, plantar

warts, actinic keratosis and seborrheic keratosis by most methods (application

of acid, freezing, laser or electrocautery) is covered by " destruction " codes.

Use 17000 for destruction of the first lesion. Use add-on code 17003 for each

lesion between two and 14. For example, if you treat four lesions, submit codes

17000, 17003, 17003 and 17003. Many times code 17003 is incorrectly submitted

only once when more than two lesions are removed, resulting in lost

reimbursement. If you remove 15 or more lesions, submit only code 17004. Fam

Pract Manag. 2005 Oct;12(9):47-50.

Since I did more than 15, I am under the impression that I only need to use CPT

code 17004. Or, do I need to also include CPT code 17000?

Thanks for your input.

Cheryl

Cheryl S. , M.D., M.Ac

Elements of Health

15 W. Milwaukee St., Suite 205

Janesville, WI 53548

[Guest guest]

17000 and 17003 are for actinic keratosis only. 17110 and 17111 are for Warts, molluscum and inflamed seborrheic keratosis

G

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Sent from my Android phone with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.unicorn20724 wrote:

Can anybody tell me what is the average charge for destruction of irritated seborrheic keratoses? BTW, I treated them with a cryopen.

Also, is there a different billing code (other than listed below) I should use since they are benign lesions? I know that normally benign lesions are not covered by insurance. However I'm under the impression that if they are irritated, bleeding, etc. then they're more likely to be covered. However, I'm not sure if I need to use a different code in this circumstance. I believe I only need to document the appearance or state of the lesion in the medical record.

This is what I found for the CPT codes:

Plantar wart and keratosis destruction. The treatment of common warts, plantar warts, actinic keratosis and seborrheic keratosis by most methods (application of acid, freezing, laser or electrocautery) is covered by " destruction " codes. Use 17000 for destruction of the first lesion. Use add-on code 17003 for each lesion between two and 14. For example, if you treat four lesions, submit codes 17000, 17003, 17003 and 17003. Many times code 17003 is incorrectly submitted only once when more than two lesions are removed, resulting in lost reimbursement. If you remove 15 or more lesions, submit only code 17004. Fam Pract Manag. 2005 Oct;12(9):47-50.

Since I did more than 15, I am under the impression that I only need to use CPT code 17004. Or, do I need to also include CPT code 17000?

Thanks for your input.

Cheryl

Cheryl S. , M.D., M.Ac

Elements of Health

15 W. Milwaukee St., Suite 205

Janesville, WI 53548

[Guest guest]

You can specify the irritated seb k with the ICD -9 code. 702.11 seborrheic keratosis: inflamed seb k’s702.19 seb k: other seb k’s From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of unicorn20724Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 8:04 PMTo: Subject: Billing and coding for destruction of benign lesions Can anybody tell me what is the average charge for destruction of irritated seborrheic keratoses? BTW, I treated them with a cryopen.Also, is there a different billing code (other than listed below) I should use since they are benign lesions? I know that normally benign lesions are not covered by insurance. However I'm under the impression that if they are irritated, bleeding, etc. then they're more likely to be covered. However, I'm not sure if I need to use a different code in this circumstance. I believe I only need to document the appearance or state of the lesion in the medical record.This is what I found for the CPT codes:Plantar wart and keratosis destruction. The treatment of common warts, plantar warts, actinic keratosis and seborrheic keratosis by most methods (application of acid, freezing, laser or electrocautery) is covered by " destruction " codes. Use 17000 for destruction of the first lesion. Use add-on code 17003 for each lesion between two and 14. For example, if you treat four lesions, submit codes 17000, 17003, 17003 and 17003. Many times code 17003 is incorrectly submitted only once when more than two lesions are removed, resulting in lost reimbursement. If you remove 15 or more lesions, submit only code 17004. Fam Pract Manag. 2005 Oct;12(9):47-50.Since I did more than 15, I am under the impression that I only need to use CPT code 17004. Or, do I need to also include CPT code 17000?Thanks for your input.CherylCheryl S. , M.D., M.AcElements of Health15 W. Milwaukee St., Suite 205Janesville, WI 53548

[Guest guest]

Thanks and Lorraine.

Cheryl