General Surgery Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Normal Evaluation Included in Wound Closure
Published on Thu Nov 01, 2001
Question: Can I bill separately for E/M services and wound closure if the E/M service is limited to the affected area?
Idaho Subscriber
Answer: No. Any E/M services in the affected area are included in the wound repair. If the patient came in with a laceration on the arm and a separate problem (for example, a head injury), an appropriate E/M service could be billed to Medicare if the documentation indicates that more than a level-one visit, i.e., 99211, was performed. However, if the patient is being seen for the laceration only, the repair is all that should be billed.
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