Advanced Search

General Surgery Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Distinguish Lesion ‘Excision’ and ‘Destruction’ Codes

Published on Wed May 17, 2023

Question: The op report identifies a 1.5 cm basal cell carcinoma diagnosed by prior biopsy that the surgeon “removed.” I’m unclear if the removal is by destruction or excision. How should I code this? Arkansas Subscriber Answer: When the op report describes “removal,” of a specific size lesion, the procedure is an excision. Difference: Excision and destruction are two different approaches to [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles in this issue of

General Surgery Coding Alert

View All