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Dermatology Coding Alert

2006 RVU Update:
Prepare for a $50 Drop in 3-Stage Mohs Reimbursement Next Year
Plus:  You may lose $20 for each complex repair and lesion excision--and gain $700 wi... Read more
Base AK Treatment Coding on Method, Number of Lesions
Freezing. lasers, PDT or shaving--the correct code can be worth over $190Millions of Ameri... Read more
How Will Your Office's Fees Fare in the New Year?
The RVUs are the same, but the new conversion factor more than $20 from some excision and ... Read more
3 Tips Help You Report 99201 With AK Codes
Recoup $100 for your E/M and lesion removal proceduresWhen your dermatologist performs an ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Write Off Pay for Selective Debridement
Question: Can our in-office nursing staff report 97597-97598 for selective debridement? I'... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Reserve 16000 for Burn Treatments
Question: A dermatologist diagnoses a patient with a second-degree burn on her right palm ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Report Consults With Documented Requests
Question: My dermatologist had a patient schedule his own appointment and come into the of... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Biopsy With Lesion Excision
Question: The dermatologist excised a lesion and sent a portion of it to the lab for a bio... Read more
CPT 2006 Update:
Get Ready--Next Year's Manual Shows a Lot More Skin--Skin Grafts, That Is
You'll have more options for reporting specific types of grafts, as well as their sizes an... Read more
E/M Update:
Say Goodbye to Claims for 'Second Opinions' in 2006
CPT consolidates confirmatory consult and inpatient consult codingYou may have fewer choic... Read more
Coding Quiz:
Avoid 3 Biopsy Misconceptions That Will Break Your Bank
Hint:  Coding depends on how much of a lesion the dermatologist removesWhen a dermato... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Check Global Period for Wart Freezing
Question: Eight days after an initial wart freezing, the patient returns, and the dermatol... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Bundle Tissue Transfer, Lesion Excision
Question: My dermatologist performed a lesion excision along with a tissue transfer. Which... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Check Anatomy for Clark's Nevus Diagnosis
Question: The dermatologist's notes say that he removed a "Clark's nevus." What exactly is... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
'3-Year Rule' Applies to Practice, Not Physician
Question: A patient sees a dermatologist in our group practice. More than two years later,... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Call on G Code for Dermabond
Question: Which code should I use to report Dermabond? I know the status indicator for G01... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Choose Burn Treatment Code Based on Degree
Question: A patient with blisters on his shoulders from sunburn came into our office. The ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Lesion Excision Often Bundles Repair Codes
Question: I'm confused about the rules for coding wound repair with lesion removal. What c... Read more
3 New Codes May Increase Your Hyperhidrosis Treatment Options in 2006
If approved, CPT additions will describe Botox injections to treat excessive sweatingAsk d... Read more
NCCI 11.3 Update:
Coding Botox and Nerve Blocks Separately? Not Anymore
Look out: Your coding for photodynamic therapy may change, tooDermatologists performing Bo... Read more
Code for Each Dermatitis Test to Avoid a Rash of Underpayments
In most cases, you can count every allergen as a separate unit of serviceDermatologists ha... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Report Preparation Prior to Graft
Question: I'm confused about the skin graft codes. Is site preparation included, or can we... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Document Measurements Before Excision
Question: I've been getting conflicting advice on coding lesion excisions. I heard that I ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Choose Wound Repair Codes for Scar Revision
Question: What is the proper code to report scar revision on a mastectomy site?Idaho Subsc... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Lacking Details, Stick With What's on Paper
Question: The E/M guideline chart that we use to select the history level includes identif... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Play by the Rules When Coding Burns
Question: Recently I read an article that instructed coders to use the "Rule of Nines" whe... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Code Office Visits, Warts and All
Question: Most of the patients who are having warts removed need to come in several times.... Read more
2006 RVU Update:
Anticipate Gains for Mohs Codes in Proposed Fee Schedule
The bad news: Expect less for debridement, grafts ...quot; up to $45 less for some procedu... Read more
Myth Buster:
Open Your Eyes to Medical Necessity for Blepharoplasty
 What you don't know can hurt you -- to the tune of $291 per procedure Don't assume a... Read more
Freezing Up When Coding Wart Removals? Not Anymore
Check documentation for type of wart to avoid a reimbursement cold shoulder The next time ... Read more
Quick Key:
14 Ways to Show Medical Necessity for Blepharoplasty
Diagnosis of a medical problem helps prove that eyelid procedure wasn't cosmetic Each carr... Read more
Correction
The answer to a reader's question in the September 2005 Dermatology Coding Alert (&q... Read more
Reader Questions:
Report 11201 for 15+ Skin Tags
Question: What should I report for freezing of skin tags? At first I considered the destru... Read more
Reader Questions:
Append 59 to Indicate 2 Surgical Sites
Question: Our dermatologist excised two benign lesions ...quot; one on the shoulder and th... Read more
Reader Questions:
Apply '3-Year Rule' to Entire Practice
Question: A patient sees a surgeon in our group practice. Over two years later, the patien... Read more
Reader Questions:
Accentuate the Modifier, Eliminate the Hyphen
Question: I noticed that the August Dermatology Coding Alert didn't include a hyphen befor... Read more
Reader Questions:
Don't Expect Medicare to Recognize 'After-Hours'
Question: Will Medicare pay extra for the surgeon seeing the patient for an unscheduled ap... Read more
You Be the Coder:
FB Removal With No FB
Question: A patient came in thinking she had a thorn stuck in her hand. The dermatologist ... Read more
Unlock the Secrets to Deciphering Between 10120 and 10121
4 questions make all the differences when it comes to foreign-body removal casesIf you\'re... Read more
Appending Modifier 51 to Each Stage of Mohs? Read This First
Unnecessarily modifying surgery can knock $130 from your reimbursementA dermatologist in y... Read more
Prove Mohs Isn't Cosmetic With Sharp ICD-9 Coding
Demonstrating medical necessity can be worth $600 to your practicePicking the right CPT co... Read more
3 Examples Demonstrate When To Add Wound Lengths
Contaminated wounds could lead to a jump from simple to intermediate repairA dermatologist... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Include Lesion Removal in Tissue Transfer
Question: If the dermatologist performs an adjacent tissue transfer, can I also code for a... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Expect More Pay for Office Codes
Question: What is the difference between facility and nonfacility relative value units (RV... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Apply HCPCS Code to AVA Cream
Question: When the dermatologist performs photodynamic therapy, can I code separately for ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Place Modifier 59 on Bundled Code
Question: How do I determine which code to append modifier 59 to?New Jersey Subscriber Ans... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Downcode to Documented Component Levels
Question: The chart that we use to select the level of history includes identifiers. For e... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Use Neoplasm Dx for Smooth Dermabrasion
Question: How should I code for CO2 laser dermabrasion to treat a basal cell carcinoma?Pen... Read more
NCCI 11.2 Update:
Edits Bundle Injections With Nearly All Dermatology Procedures
Don\'t expect separate payment for drug administration unless you can justify a modifierIf... Read more
Modifier of the Month:
Ask These Questions to Code Assisted Procedures Correctly
Don\'t underestimate the value of \'purpose\' in deciphering modifiers 80, 81Many of the p... Read more
Clip-and-Save Chart:
Keep This Tool at Your Fingertips to Solve Modifier 80 Mysteries
Put down that fee schedule - here\'s a one-stop resource for the \'assistant at surgery\' ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Question Medicare for 17003 Claims
Question: We recently reported codes 17000 and CPT 17003 to Medicare for reimbursement. T... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Extra Caution Won't Hurt With Consults
Question: We\'ve heard conflicting information about the requirement for a written request... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Modifier 59 May Justify Excisions and Destruction
Question: Our dermatologist completed two excisions: one on the patient\'s shoulder and th... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
2 Dermatologists, 1 Procedure? Read On
Question: If physician 2 in our group dermatology practice provides post-op care for a pat... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Extensive Cleaning May Mean a Higher-Level Code
Question: A patient presents with a 1.5-cm laceration of the eyebrow, and the dermatologis... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Report Incision or Excision?
Question: A patient had an existing diagnosis of sebaceous cyst, benign, in cheek. Our der... Read more
Musculoskeletal Codes Open Up Lipoma Excision Coding Options
For procedures that go deeper than the skin, consider something more than 11100 When your ... Read more
Billing Corner:
Billing Intramuscular Injections And E/M Services? Read On
Try your hand at 2 real-life scenarios If your dermatology practice encounters denials fo... Read more
2006 ICD-9 Update:
Dermatology Practices Escape New Codes
Dermatologists don\'t have any new diagnosis codes to worry about, so take a moment to cat... Read more
Keep the Current G Series and 90780-90784 Codes Straight
If you\'re afraid of reporting CPT injection codes to Medicare, use this tool Say goo... Read more
Follow 3 Tips to Increase the Accuracy of Your NPP Reporting
Sharing services can pay off - especially with Medicare Grasping state- or carrier-specifi... Read more
Reader Questions:
E/M With Wart Removal
Question: A 12-year-old male presents to our dermatologist with complaint of a bump on his... Read more
Reader Questions:
Outdated Beneficiary Information Can Cost You
Question: Our dermatology practice has been receiving numerous Medicare claim denials rece... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider 11000 if You Can't Justify 15920
Question: Our physician debrided two sites with infected decubiti. Should I report each si... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Patch Tests May or May Not Include E/M
Question: A new patient came to our practice with a red, itchy rash on her arm. Our dermat... Read more
Note 'Site' Specifics to Avoid Common Biopsy Pitfalls
Look to modifier -59 to specify multiple biopsiesIf your dermatologist specifies the biops... Read more
Billing Corner:
Safeguard Your Practice From Theft, Embezzlement, Errors
Follow these tips to keep track of your revenue throughout the dayLook no further than you... Read more
Avoid Common Snafus When Reporting 99212
Modifier -25 protects when it comes to additional brief procedures and E/MDermatology prac... Read more
Clip and Save:
Keep This Handy Table to Report Specific Biopsy Codes Every Time
Recoup deserved pay with 40000, 50000, and 60000 series codes The common biopsy scenarios ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Dermabond May Determine Your Repair Code
Question: I repaired a child\'s lacerations using Dermabond in three separate places on th... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Look to Your Op Note When Reporting 99354
Question: A patient comes for a routine skin exam. During the exam, the patient tells the ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
95044 Can Unite Modifier -25 to E/M Services
Question: A new patient with a red, itchy rash on her arm comes to our practice. Our derma... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
16000 May Include More Procedures Than You Think
Question: Our dermatologist sees a patient with first- and second-degree burns on her hand... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Do Excision Codes Override 17250? Read On
Question: A patient presents for a follow-up of an ingrown toenail. The physician finds th... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Report Preventive and Problem-Related Services
Question: A new patient presents for a physician/preventive exam. The patient also had thr... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Same Sites Call for Summed Lengths
Question: A patient with a 1.5-cm laceration on his eyebrow presented to our dermatology p... Read more
NCCI 11.1 Update:
Add a New Layer to Your Intermediate Repair Claims
Deletions in the most recent round of edits may pleasantly surprise you When your dermatol... Read more
Billing Tip of the Month:
Follow These 6 Steps to Stay On Top of Your Denials
Face your fears and grab the denials bull by the horns If you establish a systematic proto... Read more
Correction
The January 2005 Dermatology Coding Alert article \"Get Ready to Change Your Lesion Destru... Read more
Longer Face-to-Face Time May Justify Higher Pay
If you report add-on codes, make sure to report an E/M code and avoid denials Prolonged se... Read more
Face-to-Face Time Is Cumulative, Not Continuous
Here\'s a claim example that should help ease your prolonged service cases Just because yo... Read more
Reader Questions:
Complex Lesions Justify Larger Lesion Codes
Question: Would you clarify the difference between a simple and complex incision and drain... Read more
Reader Questions:
Report E/M Codes for Burn Self-Treatment Advice
Question: A physician diagnoses a patient with a second-degree burn on her right palm (944... Read more
Reader Questions:
Be Careful- Excisions May Stump Cauterizations
Question: A patient presents for a follow-up of an ingrown toenail. The physician finds th... Read more
Reader Questions:
Avoid Foreign-Body Removal Snafus
Question: To bill for removal of a foreign body, the physician must perform an incision, r... Read more
Reader Questions:
Depth Impacts Debridement Code Choice
Question: A patient came to our dermatology practice with infected decubiti on two sites t... Read more
Reader Questions:
New Problems During a Preventive Exam? Read On
Question: A new patient presented for a preventive exam. The patient also had three comple... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Punch Biopsy - Choose Excision or Not
Question: Our dermatologist recently performed a millimeter punch biopsy that removed the ... Read more
Don't Underestimate Justifying Medical Necessity for Benign Lesion Excisions
Provide more than one reason code, or you may face denials If your dermatologist performs ... Read more
Follow These 5 Tips for Top-Notch Reporting Procedures
Simply checking for coding accuracy can streamline your practice As challenging as it may... Read more
Refer to This Chart for Corresponding Medical-Necessity Codes Of Benign Lesions
Include Category III codes and watch the Medicare denials diminish To make sure you\'ve pr... Read more
Consults Vs. Referrals:
Coding Experts Unlock the Secrets
Your dermatologist\'s opinion should come with a price Whenever your dermatologist perfor... Read more
Consider Modifier -25 for Consult With Same-Day Treatment
Dermatologists often face denials when they perform a consult and provide treatment on the... Read more
Reader Questions:
Let Time Guide Your Follow-Up E/M Coding
Question: A patient saw the dermatologist to get results on her biopsies and monitoring. T... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider Initial/Subsequent for 15000
Question: A patient came to our dermatology practice with ulcers of plantar and hallux sur... Read more
Reader Questions:
Overlook Time Limits With Consults
Question: If my dermatologist performs an office consultation on a patient, how much time ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Modifier -59 Comes in Handy for Multiple Excisions
Question: The dermatologist excised two sebaceous cysts from the patient\'s back. One cyst... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Consider Cleaning and Removal for Repair Codes
Question: How should I report repair of an irregular, 3.5-cm laceration of the chin involv... Read more
5 FAQs Clear Up Your Scar Revision and Related Excision Dilemmas
Use modifier -59 for 2-site procedures Before you try to recoup any scar revision pay... Read more
Billing Corner:
Don't Miss Out on New Incident-To Rules
Key: Supervising physicians make all the difference You may be applauding a recent clarifi... Read more
Clip and Save:
Use This Tool to Capture All of Your Integumentary Services
Watch what a difference the site and repair details can make The concept of good, thorough... Read more
Reader Questions:
Check the Add-On Code Restrictions
Question: Our dermatologist\'s  documentation noted that he performed biopsies on two... Read more
Reader Questions:
Let the Elements Drive Your History Report
Question: The chart that physicians use to select the level of history includes identifier... Read more
Reader Questions:
Suture Removal - to Bill or Not?
Question: During a follow-up visit for a lesion removal at the office, the dermatologist r... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider Intramuscular Codes for Lipomas
Question: For reporting lipoma removal, which codes are correct: the codes for benign lesi... Read more
Reader Questions:
Don't Overlook NPPs for Incident-To Services
Question: Should we consider time as a factor when billing for educational/counseling serv... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Use Add-On Codes for Multiple Cryosurgeries
Question: A woman brings her 15-year-old daughter to our dermatology practice for her daug... Read more
NCCI 11.0 Update:
Get Ready to Change Your Lesion Destruction Reporting
Append the right modifier for separate malignant lesion destructions When your dermatologi... Read more
Teaching Tool:
Learn the 3 NCCI Rules and Throw Away Bundling Snafus
Ride the -59 wave to override the appropriate bundles As January 2005 brings the NCCI ver... Read more
Billing Tips:
6 Steps to Take Before You Call In the Collector
Extending a simple offer to help may help you collect your pay Sending a patient\'s accoun... Read more
Here's How Test Interpretation Can Inform Your E/M Choice
If you bill only one physician for dx test analysis, the full pay will come Just because y... Read more
Reader Questions:
Include Chart Review in E/M
Question: A patient had her past medical records, containing more than 10 years of history... Read more
Reader Questions:
2 Alternatives for 2 Lesions
Question: The dermatologist excised two benign lesions of about the same size (roughly 0.8... Read more
Reader Questions:
Incisions May Make Your -53 Pay
Question: Prior to surgery, we administered general anesthesia, but the patient began brea... Read more
Reader Questions:
Family Consults May Be a Patient Service
Question: A patient comes in to discuss the care of his wife, who is also a patient and wh... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Lipomas May Need More Than 11400 Codes
Question: For reporting lipoma removal, which codes are correct: the codes for benign lesi... Read more
Available Years:  2005  2004