Bernadette10
Guru
11200-XS and 17110 or 17110 alone? Insurance is Medicare. From the CPT descriptions, I think both can be billed, but some providers think it should be 17110 alone when the skin tags are destroyed with cryotherapy. I'm doubting myself because I'm being questioned a lot!
Verruca Vulgaris, on the scalp
Procedure: Destruction with cryotherapy
Number: 1
Discussed procedure and expectations including risks and benefits. Verbal consent obtained. Treated with LN2. There were no complications. Patient tolerated the procedure well. Post-procedure expectations and wound care were reviewed.
Skin tags on neck
Procedure: Destruction with cryotherapy
Number: 2
Discussed procedure and expectations including risks and benefits. Verbal consent obtained. Treated with LN2. There were no complications. Patient tolerated the procedure well. Post-procedure expectations and wound care were reviewed.
CPT descriptions:
11200 - The physician removes skin tag lesions. The physician uses sharp excision with scissors or scalpel, chemical cautery, electrical cautery, ligature strangulation, or any combination of these methods. (chemical cautery includes cryotherapy, doesn't it?)
17110 - The physician uses a laser, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemical treatment, or surgical curettement to obliterate or vaporize benign lesions other than skin tags or lesions such as cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions. Examples of lesions that may be removed under this code description include, but are not limited to, molluscum contagiosum or melanocytic nevi. (This specifically says "other than skin tags")
Verruca Vulgaris, on the scalp
Procedure: Destruction with cryotherapy
Number: 1
Discussed procedure and expectations including risks and benefits. Verbal consent obtained. Treated with LN2. There were no complications. Patient tolerated the procedure well. Post-procedure expectations and wound care were reviewed.
Skin tags on neck
Procedure: Destruction with cryotherapy
Number: 2
Discussed procedure and expectations including risks and benefits. Verbal consent obtained. Treated with LN2. There were no complications. Patient tolerated the procedure well. Post-procedure expectations and wound care were reviewed.
CPT descriptions:
11200 - The physician removes skin tag lesions. The physician uses sharp excision with scissors or scalpel, chemical cautery, electrical cautery, ligature strangulation, or any combination of these methods. (chemical cautery includes cryotherapy, doesn't it?)
17110 - The physician uses a laser, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemical treatment, or surgical curettement to obliterate or vaporize benign lesions other than skin tags or lesions such as cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions. Examples of lesions that may be removed under this code description include, but are not limited to, molluscum contagiosum or melanocytic nevi. (This specifically says "other than skin tags")