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Q&A: Choosing the right excision code for cysts
Q: I have been told to use the general surgery CPT® codes in the 20000 series for reporting excisions of sebaceous cysts when the surgeon must cut into the subcutaneous layer.
I don’t agree with this, since the 20000 codes do not give ICD-9-CM code 706.2 (sebaceous cyst) as a billable diagnosis code. Because a sebaceous, epidermal, or pilar cyst begins in the skin and may grow large enough to press into the subcutaneous layer, I think we should report an excision code from the 11400 series, and if need be, the 12000 codes for closure.
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