Wiki C44.119 question

[tessa.perez1983]

Hello I have a question when our physician is doing surgery for excision of basal cell of the left eyelid the diagnosis we have been using is C44.119 which states Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left eyelid, including canthus. For this particular case he stated that he did remove the canthus. Could we still use the same code and if not what suggestions do you have?

 

[danskangel313]

Hello I have a question when our physician is doing surgery for excision of basal cell of the left eyelid the diagnosis we have been using is C44.119 which states Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left eyelid, including canthus. For this particular case he stated that he did remove the canthus. Could we still use the same code and if not what suggestions do you have?

I may be interpreting your question incorrectly, but it seems as if you're coding based on what procedure was done, not on the actual diagnosis.

C44.119 indicates the patient has been diagnosed with "Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left eyelid, including canthus". CPT code XXXXX indicates the excision of a lesion.

In other words (specific to your case), the procedure code for a lesion excision does not describe a diagnosis; it describes the procedure that was done with regards to a medical problem or condition. Likewise, a diagnosis, C44.119, does not describe an excision procedure; it describes the medical condition that the patient has been diagnosed with.

A diagnosis code does, however, explain the medical necessity for the excision procedure.

If I'm wrong about what you're asking, please let me know.

 

[tessa.perez1983]

Basically we are looking for the correct diagnosis the patient has basal cell carcinoma of the left eyelid but the doctor states that the canthus was not affected. I do not think I worded the question very well before. We have been unable to find a code for the basal cell of the left eyelid that does not include the canthus. Not sure if it would even be different.