patient seen in ER for toe abscess. Physician numbs the toe with lidocaine and uses mosquito forceps to enlarged the opening for drainage. Should this be coded as a an I&D, and I&D with a reduced service modifier since no real incision is made or just be part of E/M?
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Wiki abscess drainage
- Thread starter mommacode
- Start date
MarcusM
Expert
In my opinion, it would be an E&M since it was a straight forward problem and the I&D codes don't really describe what was performed.
tjrice
Guest
The documentation would be the main consideration for which code. Regardless if a knife or a mosquito was used, the abscess was entered. Was the wound packed? This, to me is an I&D, especially if a pack was opened, the area was anesthetized, and if the wound was packed. This may be a case where the provider under documented themselves out of an appropriate fee.
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