• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

Wiki Can we bill for suture removal ??

Create Wiki
O

Orthocoderpgu

True Blue
Messages
2,124
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
Best answers
9
Patient comes in who has previusly had surgery. Because of the patient's age, it seems that they "forgot" to get the sutures removed. Our doc evaluated a UTI and abdominal mass. Our doc notices that the patient's sutures have never been removed and need to be. He removes 9 of them that the surgeon did not because the patient did not go back.

Can our doc charge for removing these and if so, how?
 
Only as part of the E/M

Suture removal will be part of your E/M visit. The only time you can code/bill this separately is when you take the patient to the OR for removal under anesthesia.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC
 
There is a code for this but it is not covered by Medicare, which I am guessing your patient is probably on.

S0630 Removal of sutures; by a physician other than the physician who originally closed the wound.

Laura, CPC, CEMC
 
I don't bill medicare because I am working for a pediatrician's office but we frequently remove sutures that were placed by someone else. The S0630 code that Laura mentiond is the code we use. If an unrelated E/M was performed on the same date you can also code for it using a modifer 25 on the office visit. We do receive remibursement from some commercial carriers on this service.

Hope this helps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top