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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Mole Excision ICD-9 and CPT Codes

Published on Fri Jun 01, 2001

Question: What are the correct ICD-9 and CPT codes for excision of mole in scalp for anesthesia coding? No other information is available in our chargemaster.

Maryland Subscriber

Answer: The best choice is ICD-9 diagnosis code 216.4 (benign neoplasm of skin, scalp and skin of neck), rather than a mole, tumor or lesion code. The procedure code would fall under the 11420 category (excision, benign lesion, except skin tag, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia). Series 11420-11426 varies by lesion size. These codes cross-reference to anesthesia code 00300 (anesthesia for all procedures on the integumentary system, muscles and nerves of head, neck, and posterior trunk, not otherwise specified), which has a value of five base units plus time. This covers procedures on the skin area that are not deep enough to reach the muscles or nerves.

Answers to Reader Questions and You Be the Coder provided by LaSeille Willard, CPC, an anesthesia coding specialist with Anesthesia Consultants in Thurmont, Md.; and Barbara Johnson, CPC, MPC, professional coder with Loma Linda University Anesthesiology Medical Group Inc. of Loma Linda, Calif.
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