CPT code 21812: Open rib fracture fixation, 4-6 ribs
CPT code 21812 covers open treatment of rib fracture(s) with internal fixation on one side of the chest, for 4 to 6 ribs. Thoracoscopic visualization is bundled in when the surgeon uses it. The code is reported once per side, never once per rib. The count that drives code selection is the number of ribs […]
CPT code 23030: Incision and drainage, shoulder area, deep abscess
CPT code 23030 is the procedure code used to report incision and drainage of the shoulder area for a deep abscess or hematoma. The American Medical Association (AMA) maintains the CPT code set and classifies this code under the Musculoskeletal System Surgery section (20000-29999). Within that section it sits in the subsection covering incision procedures […]
CPT code 19302: Partial mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection
CPT code 19302 covers partial mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection: 13.6 work RVUs and about $865 from Medicare in 2026.
CPT code 11606: Billing guide for excisions over 4.0 cm
CPT code 11606 covers the excision of a malignant skin lesion on the trunk, an arm, or a leg. The code applies once the excised diameter passes 4.0 cm. It is the top tier of the 11600 series, and it pays accordingly. That price tag draws attention. Payers look at the size, the pathology, and […]
CPT code 21154: LeFort III midface reconstruction billing guide
CPT Code 21154 describes reconstruction of midface, LeFort III type; without bone graft. It reports the surgical correction of midface deficiency through a complete LeFort III osteotomy, mobilizing the midface as a single unit at the level of the orbits, zygomatic arches, and nasal bones. The procedure does not include concurrent autogenous bone grafting; when […]
CPT Code 01620: Anesthesia for shoulder and axilla procedures
Anesthesia billing catches a lot of coders off guard. Unlike standard procedural codes with a flat RVU, this code follows a units-based formula. Every variable, from the patient’s physical status to how long the case ran, affects the final reimbursement figure. Get any one piece wrong and the claim denies. The American Medical Association (AMA) […]
CPT code 11621: Excision of malignant lesion, scalp, neck, hands, feet
CPT code 11621 covers malignant lesion excision of 0.6 to 1.0 cm on the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. Read more on RVUs, modifiers, and denials.
CPT Code 17280: Malignant Lesion Destruction
CPT Code 17280 is the destruction of a malignant lesion on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes. The lesion diameter, including margins, must measure 0.5 cm or less. It sits at the smallest end of a six-tier size series tracked in CMS Physician Fee Schedule data. This reference covers the full descriptor, […]
CPT Code 17266: Malignant lesion destruction (4.0+ cm)
CPT Code 17266 reports destruction of a malignant skin lesion on the trunk, arms, or legs. The lesion diameter must exceed 4.0 cm, and any of five destruction methods qualifies. It sits at the top of the trunk/arms/legs destruction ladder, so its documentation bar is correspondingly high. Payers expect pathology confirmation or a clear clinical […]
CPT Code 00580: Anesthesia for heart/lung transplant
CPT code 00580 is the anesthesia billing code for heart and lung transplant procedures performed on the recipient. It carries 20 base units, one of the highest values of any anesthesia code. Anesthesia or physiological support provided during donor organ harvest is billed separately, under CPT 01990. Coders and billing staff encounter CPT code 00580 […]