# Wound Care vs. E/M visit



## AKAJBART (Jun 16, 2014)

My Doctor will sometimes put a dressing on an open wound, and by dressing I mean...... Band-Aid and antibiotic ointment.  The Office Manager always puts a note on the charge for me to bill the Wound Care.  

With that said, I've always been told that unless it requires a Procedure (ie; debridement, sutures, skin removal, etc.) that the Band-Aid and ointment are considered inclusive with the E/M visit code.  

Does anyone have any info to help me support this?  Or if I'm incorrect, please let me know.  

I appreciate your help! 

Thanks


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## Pam Brooks (Jun 16, 2014)

You're correct.  That's not wound care in the sense of debridement or suturing, it's part of the E&M.  

Surgical and code guidelines regarding wound care are in both CPT and documented in the CCI edits.


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## AKAJBART (Jun 16, 2014)

Thanks Pam!!  Do you, or anyone else, have any documentation to support this?  

Also, an E/M would be billed for "Burn Care" when all that was done was: "Applied Silvadene cream and wrapped pinky finger, right hand, 3rd degree burn that happened 7 days ago" - Correct??


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## Pam Brooks (Jun 18, 2014)

The guidelines and CCI edits will clarify what constitutes wound care.  Anything else does not.


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