Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: A patient came in for wart removal on his right second toe. The physician performed a sharp debridement that was followed by application of a concentrated salicylic acid paste. I have been told I have to bill this and an E/M code because the paste is part of a serial treatment. But another DPM says it qualifies as a chemocauterization. How do I code this?

California Subscriber

Answer:  Code 17110 (Destruction [e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement], of benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions; up to 14 lesions) includes debridement of the lesion as well as chemocauterization of the lesion.

You would report 17110 for up to 14 lesions, but report 17111 (...15 or more lesions) if there were 15 or more lesions.