# coding dx of basal carcinoma w/o a path



## samyjm13 (Sep 21, 2011)

Patient comes into clinic with a suspicious lesion, provider does cryo on it. Provider states in the asses/plan that it is a basal cell carcinoma, no path was done, just a cryo. No evidence of a malignancy. Do I code what the provider dx it as or code as a skin lesion.

Thanks

samy


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## cubbiecatz (Sep 23, 2011)

You would code it as basal carcinoma, since that's what the doctor said it is. Use the CPT code for malignant cryotherapy, the codes start at 17260.


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## weshelman (Oct 7, 2011)

How can a doctor decide it is BCC without a pathology report? That would make me very nervous.


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## lovetocode (Oct 7, 2011)

without a path report, i would code the dx with an unspecified nature of neoplasm depending on where the lesion is located.


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