# Mohs Surgery



## v1233s (May 28, 2009)

Does anyone help me to code mohs surgery until stage IX?

17311             dx 173.2
17312             dx 173.2
17315   x  7     dx 173.2

i really appreciate and thank you..


----------



## mitchellde (May 30, 2009)

I am really unsure of your question and I think you may be confusing stages with tissue blocks.  Can you provide some of the note for clarification.
Note:
17311 is for 1st STAGE, up to 5 TISSUE BLOCKS
17312 is for each additional  STAGE, up to 5 TISSUE BLOCKS
17315 is for each additional BLOCK after the first 5 BLOCKS of any STAGE
So did you have 9 different stages consisting of 5 or less blocks each? then you would have 
17311
17312
17312 59
17312 59
17312 59
17312 59
17312 59
17312 59
17312 59
If you had 1 stage with nine blocks it would be
17311
17315
17315 59
17315 59
17315 59
FYI I never use units with surgical procedures, it is not a good practice and my reimbursments have always been better than those I compare to that do use units.
I hope this helps!
Debra Mitchell, MSPH, CPC-H


----------



## v1233s (May 30, 2009)

thank you so much for your advice that's really help me ..

there are  9 stage consisting of 5 or less blocks each and frozen biopsy while surgery..  that's found bcc.. 

17311   x 2    59
17312   x 8    59
11100           59
88331

or 

17311          59
17311        
17312
17312          59
17312          59
17312          59
17312          59
17312          59
17312          59
17312          59
11100          59
88331

thank you for your advice..


----------



## mitchellde (May 30, 2009)

No problem but you may have a typo, I would do the second example except delete the very first line (17311 59).   The 17311 is the first stage and the 17312 is for each additional so when you get done you should have a total of 9 line items for each of the 9 stages plus then the bx and the path.


----------



## v1233s (May 31, 2009)

Thank you,  This is really helpful.


----------



## EKMineau (Jun 2, 2009)

You shouldn't need modifer -59 on 17312, as it is an add on code and _*MUST *_be used with code 17311.


----------



## colellaj (Mar 30, 2012)

Dr. Alexis completed Mohs surgery on Ralph's left arm. she reported routine stains on all slides, mapping, and color coding of specimens. The procedure was accomplished in three stages with a total of seven blocks in the second stage. How would you report Dr. Alexis' services.


----------



## LACEY13 (Apr 11, 2012)

*59*

You have to be careful with your over use of the 59 modifier if it can/should be billed in units 17312x? when an insurance company runs your numbers and you put a -59 modifier on everything you can set your practice up for an audit.


----------

