You will need to report the same codes regardless of an incision If an ED patient has a foreign body removed from his person, you-ll likely be choosing between two codes: 10120 (Incision and removal of foreign body, sub-cutaneous tissues; simple) and 10121 (... complicated). Remember: Unlike other soft-tissue FBR codes, the CPT definitions for foot FBR do not require incisions. When your physician performs a foot FBR, report the above codes whether she made an incision or not.
Exceptions: However, when coding a foreign-body removal (FBR) from a patient's foot, don't be fooled into reporting 10120 or 10121. Foot FBRs have separate code sets -- and you-ll report them slightly differently than other FBR codes, says Linda Martien, CPC, CPC-H, Coding Specialist for National Healing Inc. in Boca Raton, Fla.
Why? -The foot is not considered to be soft tissues- and therefore has a separate code set, Martien says.
The lowdown: Choose from these codes when reporting FBR from a foot:
- 28190 -- Removal of foreign body, foot; subcutaneous
- 28192 -- ... deep
- 28193 -- ... complicated.
If the location of the FBR is unclear, query your physician, because the foot FBR codes carry much higher relative value units than other FBR codes.