Internal Medicine Coding Alert

News Brief:

Medicare Expands Coverage of Actinic Keratosis Destruction

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced July 20, 2001, in decision memo #CAG-00049 that it will expand coverage for the treatment of common sun-induced skin lesions, known as actinic keratoses (692.70, unspecified dermatitis due to sun), that can develop into skin cancer.
 
The decision establishes a national Medicare coverage policy for removing the lesions without restrictions based on lesion or patient characteristics. Now, there will be no policy on any level to dismiss claims for actinic keratoses removal.