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Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

CPT 2010 Update:

Flesh Out Tumor Excision Details With Several New, More Specific CPT Codes

Published on Fri Oct 23, 2009

If your podiatrist doesn't diligently document tumor size, you'll start losing reimbursement. CPT Codes 2010 offers you several new tumor removal codes you'll need to use when your podiatrist treats tumors on a patient's leg or ankle. Base Your Code Choice on 3 Questions CPT categorizes the new excision codes according to size, location, and malignancy. You'll choose the excision code based on the following criteria: 1. Is the excision a radical excision -- in other words, is the tumor malignant? 2. Is the tumor removal subcutaneous, subfascial, intramuscular, or deep? 3. What size is the tumor your podiatrist removed? Existing leg and ankle tumor excision codes 27615 (Radical resection of tumor [eg, malignant neoplasm], soft tissue of leg or ankle area; less than 5 cm), 27618 (Excision, tumor, soft tissue of leg or ankle area, subcutaneous; less than 3 cm), and 27619 (Excision, tumor, soft tissue of leg or ankle [...]
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