General Surgery Coding Alert

Follow 3 pointers to snag maximum pay.From just under the skin to deep within the bowels, your general surgeon might perform a foreign body removal (FBR) that calls on a wide range of coding know-how. Zero in on the right code every time by implementing these four principles:1. Use 10120-10121 for Any Site Under SkinIf your surgeon makes an opening to remove any foreign body, such as a glass shard or a metal filing, but doesn't indicate an anatomic site or depth in the op report, you'll probably choose 10120 (Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple). You can't choose a more specific code if the surgical report doesn't provide any more documentation.Caveat: Because the code requires incision, look for a sharp object when considering 10120. If the documentation doesn't include this detail, use an E/M service code (such as 99201-99215, Office or Other Outpatient Services) instead of [...]