Dermatology Coding Alert

Question: Following a melanoma excision, our surgeon performed a layered closure. I've heard that we should add the dimensions of the lesion excision to determine the code choice for the closure -- this correct?

New Mexico Subscriber

Answer: No, you should not base the closure code on the lesion excision size at all. Instead, you should base it on the closure size. When the surgeon excises a lesion, the code includes simple (single layer) closure. But if the surgeon performs a layered closure as you described, you can separately bill the intermediate closure.

Do this: What you need to know to bill the closure [...]

- Published on 2011-08-12