Dermatology Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
Biofreeze or Cryotherapy?
Published on Wed Oct 27, 2010 
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Question:
West Virginia Subscriber
Answer:
Biofreeze is the same as cryotherapy, so report 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).Tip:
Insurance companies often classify wart removal as a cosmetic procedure unless the warts cause pain. Because of this stance, payers often will not reimburse for wart destruction without prior authorization.Caution:
Don't be tempted to submit 17000 (Destruction [e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement], premalignant lesions [e.g., actinic keratoses]; first lesion) for wart removal. Warts don't qualify as "premalignant lesions" described by 17000.-- Technical and coding advice for You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Pamela Biffle, CPC, CPCP, CPC-I, CCS-P, CHCC, CHCO, owner of PB Healthcare Consulting and Education Inc. in Watauga, Texas.
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Dermatology Coding Alert
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