Internal Medicine Coding Alert
READER QUESTION ~ Suture Removal Usually Bundled Into Surgical Package
Published on Wed Mar 07, 2007
Question: When an established patient reports to our physician for suture removals, what code can we report? A patient who received sutures in the emergency department was in for an appointment yesterday, and the physician removed two sutures from his arm and sent him home. Should we use the suture removal CPT code? Answer: You should not use the suture removal codes. CPT and Medicare both include suture removal as part of a minor surgical procedure's global package, so you're better off reporting the appropriate-level evaluation and management code for the encounter.
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