ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Question: The physician performs a level-three ED E/M service, and then performs debridement of skin as well as subcutaneous tissue on a chronically infected wound from an electrical burn on patient's upper back. Notes indicate that the physician used sharp selective debridement according to the notes both skin and a significant amount of subcutaneous tissue were removed .What is the correct code for this encounter? Is this a 11040 service?Nebraska Subscriber Answer: You are in the right code set for the debridement, but choose the following codes for this procedure:1042 (Debridement; skin, and subcutaneous tissue) for the debridement99283 (Emergency department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused history; an expanded problem focused examination; and medical decision making of moderate complexity...)modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the [...]