Dermatology Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Disregard Generic Code for Plantar Wart
Published on Tue Oct 11, 2011 
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Question:
Oregon Subscriber
Answer:
No, you chose the wrong diagnosis code. Re-submit the claim using 17110 (Destruction [e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement], of benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions; up to 14 lesions) for the wart removals, and 078.12 (Plantar wart) to represent the warts.Explanation:
Before 2009, 078.19 (Other specified viral warts) was the proper diagnosis code for plantar warts. The year 2009 saw the debut of 078.12, however, giving coders and physicians a more appropriate (and specific) code for this very common condition.Other Articles in this issue of
Dermatology Coding Alert
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Disregard Generic Code for Plantar Wart
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