Primary Care Coding Alert

Learn the acronym that will direct you to the right codes every time.

Coding burns is always a real challenge, as it requires you to quickly locate and correctly sequence a number of ICD-10 codes and select the appropriate CPT^® code for treatment based on burn depth. In some situations, the best CPT^® code choice might not be a burn code at all.

Here are three scenarios to test your understanding of burn coding. Can you code all three of them correctly?

Scenario 1: A patient reports to your provider with a first-degree burn after spilling hot coffee on her left thigh while driving. Your provider examines the patient and tells her to apply petroleum jelly to the burn and to keep the area covered if blisters form. How would you code this encounter?

Scenario 2: An established patient comes to your provider with first-degree burns on the left hand after placing the palm of his hand on a heating pipe. As the patient has a history of diabetes, your provider decides to treat the wound with a topical ointment and a dressing. How would you code this encounter?

Scenario 3: A 15-year-old boy sees your provider with second-degree burns to most of his back after falling into a campfire. The physician debrides the burn and dresses it.

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