Wiki coding dx of basal carcinoma w/o a path

[samyjm13]

Patient comes into clinic with a suspicious lesion, provider does cryo on it. Provider states in the asses/plan that it is a basal cell carcinoma, no path was done, just a cryo. No evidence of a malignancy. Do I code what the provider dx it as or code as a skin lesion.

Thanks

samy

 

[cubbiecatz]

You would code it as basal carcinoma, since that's what the doctor said it is. Use the CPT code for malignant cryotherapy, the codes start at 17260.

 

[weshelman]

How can a doctor decide it is BCC without a pathology report? That would make me very nervous.

 

[lovetocode]

without a path report, i would code the dx with an unspecified nature of neoplasm depending on where the lesion is located.