Wiki Non-neoplastic vs. neoplastic polyps

[lindam@caricures.com]

I was reading the APPC Magazine article about non=neoplastic vs. neoplastic polyps. It says not to choose hyperplastic polyp code when pathology clearly state "Sessile serrated adenoma". Are they suggesting we use a "C" code?
She doesn't really give any information about what codes to use. In my opinion I wouldn't give a patient a neoplasm diagnoses when it isn't adenocarcionma. What other options are there?

 

[tkermode]

Per AHA Coding Clinic 2Q 2018, Sessile Serrated Adenoma codes to benign neoplasm, use the site appropriate D12.* code.

Question:
A patient had a finding of sessile serrated polyp in the ascending colon on screening colonoscopy. Our gastroenterologist is advising coding professionals that this type of polyp is a benign neoplasm. How should a sessile serrated polyp of the ascending colon be coded (hyperplastic or adenomatous)?

Answer:
Assign code D12.2, Benign neoplasm of ascending colon, for a sessile serrated polyp of the ascending colon. Sessile serrated polyps by definition are adenomas, and referred to as sessile serrated adenomas. Typically, this type of polyp is not malignant but can be pre-cancerous. Conversely, hyperplastic polyps are considered to have no neoplastic potential.

From the paragraph in the AAPC article, the author is stating not to use K63.5 or K62.1 for SSA:

Sessile serrated lesions have the characteristics of both a hyperplastic and an adenomatous polyp. Your coding options include the D12.- series, depending on location [...].

Do not choose a hyperplastic polyp code when pathology clearly states "sessile serrated adenoma." These are neoplastic and should be coded as such.