# Modifiers for 17000 and 17003



## louisel

What modifier would I use with 17000 and 17003?  Would I use 51 or 59?  Keep getting rejections!


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## ollielooya

hi again, you need to be more specific.  How are you billing?  What is the diagnosis?  What is the denial reason?  General questions can only warrant a general response. You'll get a better response if you supply more details.


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## CatchTheWind

If you are billing these codes with a "bigger" surgery, you would use 59.


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## raykatcar

*Joanne*

Medicare is using xu, xs and i think xp now also


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## jfree104

17000 is the primary destruction code for the first lesion. 17003 is the add-on code for each additional lesion. List separately for each additional lesion up to 14 lesions.  Modifier is not appropriate with add-on codes. 

If these are the only codes used it would look like this:
17000 (w/medically necessary dx)
17003 (w/ medically necessary dx)

There must be medical necessity for these procedures otherwise it is considered cosmetic.


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