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ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Multiple Procedure Coding:

Code Lesion Removals Separately -- Except When You Don't

Published on Wed Nov 17, 2010

Complicated repairs require additional coding. So you've got a procedure note in front of you indicating multiple lesion removals from the same patient during the same session. What to do? Combine repair lengths? Code each removal separately? It depends. Check out this in-depth inside information from experts who know how to deal with all types of multi-lesion removals your ED's likely to see. Code Each Simple Removal Separately You'll typically code each lesion removal separately regardless of pathology or anatomical location. Usually, "you would code for each individual lesion; this is not like laceration repairs where you combine the length of all of the same body area, or complexity, wounds," relays Sharon Richardson, RN, compliance officer with Emergency Groups' Office in Arcadia, Calif. Example: A patient presents to the ED with a lesion on his forehead and one on his neck, the patient reports that the lesions "itch bad," and [...]
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