Wiki issues with wart destructions

[PattyGreen]

Can any wart be destroyed or is there specific criteria required before billing wart destructions with 17110 or 17111? One of the physicians found an article that indicates warts must now meet some sort of criteria before the destruction becomes medically necessary. The fact that a wart is a virus and should be destroyed doesn't seem to be reason enough. I have not been successful in my search on Palmetto's website. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Susan]

Patty;

I would first ask your provider to share the article they read. With so many over the counter remedies for wart removal I can see where the payers would "tighten up" on the guidelines. Go back to the Palmetto website and pull the guidelines for benign lesion removal and see if there is any direction there that you can take back to your providers; remembering it may fall into the same "category" as benign lesion removal and may not meet the medical necessity for payment leaving the patient to be financially responsible. Good Luck.