CPT Code 01670: Anesthesia for Shoulder and Axilla Procedures
Central line and port placement in the axillary or subclavian vein is routine in oncology, dialysis, and vascular access care, and CPT code 01670 is the anesthesia code that goes with it. In practice, though, the code itself is rarely the problem on a denied claim. Instead, what trips up billing staff is the modifier […]
CPT code 11005: NSTI abdominal wall debridement billing guide
CPT code 11005 covers debridement of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, and fascia for necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) of the abdominal wall. It’s one of the most surgically aggressive procedures a billing team will code. A wrong claim costs a practice thousands of dollars per case, plus audit exposure. Its anatomical specificity, bundling rules, and […]
CPT Code 11011: Debridement of open fracture, modifiers and 2026 fee schedule
Most denied open fracture debridement claims share one root cause. The wrong code was submitted for the tissue depth documented in the operative report. CPT Code 11011 sits in the middle of a three-code series. Selecting it correctly requires matching documented tissue layers to the code’s precise descriptor. Orthopedic coders, trauma surgeons, and billing teams […]
CPT Code 99304: Initial nursing facility care billing guide
CPT Code 99304 is the billable code for initial nursing facility care, per day, when a patient’s presenting problems require straightforward or low medical decision making (MDM). It applies to both new and established patients. Coverage begins on the first day a physician or other qualified healthcare professional provides care in a skilled nursing facility […]
CPT code 17108: Destruction of cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions
CPT code 17108 covers destruction of cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions across a total treated area exceeding 50.0 square centimeters. The American Medical Association (AMA), which maintains the CPT code set, ranks it as the third and highest tier in the 17106-17107-17108 series. Techniques include laser ablation and pulsed dye laser therapy, applied to benign or […]
CPT code 17274: Destruction of malignant lesion, 3.1-4.0 cm
Billing errors on malignant lesion destruction claims rarely come from selecting the wrong procedure category. They come from selecting the wrong code within the right category. For dermatology practices and skin clinics, that distinction costs revenue. CPT code 17274 is the American Medical Association-maintained code for destruction of a malignant skin lesion on the scalp, […]
CPT Code 15120: Split-Thickness Autograft for Face, Hands, and Feet
CPT Code 15120 describes a split-thickness autograft procedure performed on a specific set of body sites. Covered sites include the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and multiple digits. The code applies when the grafted area covers 100 sq cm or less in adults. In infants and children, the threshold is […]
CPT code 17264: Destruction of malignant skin lesion (3.1-4.0 cm)
CPT code 17264 belongs to the Surgery section of the CPT code set, within the Integumentary System subsection (codes 10000-19999). The official AMA descriptor reads: Destruction, malignant lesion (e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), trunk, arms or legs; lesion diameter 3.1 to 4.0 cm. Parameter Detail CPT Code 17264 Code Section Surgery / […]
CPT code 15860: IV injection to test vascular flow in flap or graft
CPT code 15860 is a billable code for an intravenous injection of a testing agent, such as fluorescein or indocyanine green (ICG). It evaluates vascular flow in a surgical flap or graft. It’s a companion code, reported alongside the primary reconstructive procedure rather than billed alone. Correct billing depends on the modifier applied, the ICD-10 […]
CPT code 17286: Destruction of malignant skin lesions on the face
CPT code 17286 covers destruction of a malignant lesion on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes. The lesion itself must measure over 4.0 cm in diameter. Dermatology coders working with this code must confirm two things before submission. The anatomic site must fall within the listed locations, and the lesion’s own diameter […]