AK Removals: Earn $120 by Following 17000-17111 with 99201

Posted on 21. Mar, 2011 by .

Stick to these 3 tips for your E/M and lesion removal procedures.

You can report both the E/M and lesion removal if the E/M service was a significant and separately identifiable service for an E/M service with actinic keratoses (AK) removal procedure.

Always verify with your carrier before appending modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) to the E/M code.

You can only consider reporting modifier 25 when coding an E/M service, says Janet Palazzo, CPC, coder for a practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. If the procedures you are reporting don’t fall under E/M services, it is possible the encounter qualifies for another modifier instead.

Have a look at the following three tips to help you report these services accurately so your practice

Continue Reading

Want to Bill the Patient? Make Sure You Use Two ABN Modifiers

Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by Editor.

A revised GA and new GX hope to clarify some of Medicare’s non-coverage policies.

At least one aspect of dealing with Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-Coverage (ABN) forms is about to get a little simpler, thanks to two modifiers.

CMS is now giving you two HCPCS level 2 modifiers to distinguish between voluntary and required uses of liability codes, according to release CR6563.

Know when you need an ABN with this expert advice:

Continue Reading

Lesion Destruction Coding: Match Dx & Procedure Codes Like a Pro

Posted on 27. Mar, 2009 by .

Tip: All ‘Verruca’ codes fall under one CPT code, but have different ICD-9 codes.

Don’t let plantar warts throw you for a loop. Keep your eye on the ICD-9 code and link it the corresponding CPT code using this cheat sheet.

You should use 17000-17003 for destruction of premalignant lesions, such as actinic keratosis (702.0), and 17110-17111 for destruction of benign lesions including common (078.10) and plantar warts (078.19). Here’s how you should code for several lesion types.

Click here for cheat sheet.

AUDIO TRAINING EVENT: Take the Guesswork Out of Coding for Cysts, Lesions, and Ablations.

Continue Reading