# suture removal in office



## akaeb (Jun 20, 2018)

If a Dr. puts in sutures for a laceration in the clinic and the pt comes back to the clinic to get them removed and the NP that is under the provider that put the sutures in removes them can we bill for the removal?

Thanks!


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## thomas7331 (Jun 20, 2018)

If the patient is within the global period for the laceration repair, then you should not bill for the suture removal since that is already included in the fee that was billed by and paid to the physician for the procedure.


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## Pathos (Jun 20, 2018)

Assuming the Global Period is still in effect from the original procedure, this should be a No Charge visit. Otherwise maybe a low level E/M if the original procedure was performed by another provider group/practice.

_"Miscellaneous services, such as dressing changes, local incision care, removal of operative pack,
*removal of cutaneous sutures* and staples, lines, wires, tubes, drains, casts, and splints; insertion,
irrigation, and removal of urinary catheters, routine peripheral intravenous lines, nasogastric and rectal
tubes; and changes and removal of tracheostomy tubes"
_

Sources:

CMS Global Period MLN

AAPC Suture removal


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