Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: What is the difference between 56501 and 56515? Does a certain number of lesions separate the two?

Colorado Subscriber

Answer: Coders have asked the CPT coding staff this question before. They always respond that the physician should use his clinical judgment to select 56501 (Destruction of lesion[s], vulva; simple [e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery]) or 56515 (... extensive [e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery]). If the ob-gyn destroys two small lesions, you would usually report 56501. But if he destroys two invasive lesions, the physician might consider this extensive and use 56515.

Generally, however, destroying more than three lesions places you in the extensive range, and you would submit 56515. On the other hand, if the physician destroys small lesions and eradicates them easily, you should more appropriately report 56501.