LCD Reference Article Billing and Coding Article

Billing and Coding: Destruction of Malignant Skin Lesions

A57638

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Draft Article
Draft Articles are works in progress and not necessarily a reflection of the current billing and coding practices. Revisions to codes are carefully and thoroughly reviewed and are not intended to change the original intent of the LCD.

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Note History

Contractor Information

Article Information

General Information

Source Article ID
N/A
Article ID
A57638
Original ICD-9 Article ID
Not Applicable
Article Title
Billing and Coding: Destruction of Malignant Skin Lesions
Article Type
Billing and Coding
Original Effective Date
10/03/2018
Revision Effective Date
01/01/2024
Revision Ending Date
N/A
Retirement Date
N/A
AMA CPT / ADA CDT / AHA NUBC Copyright Statement

CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2023 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply.

Fee schedules, relative value units, conversion factors and/or related components are not assigned by the AMA, are not part of CPT, and the AMA is not recommending their use. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The AMA assumes no liability for data contained or not contained herein.

Current Dental Terminology © 2023 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2023, the American Hospital Association, Chicago, Illinois. Reproduced with permission. No portion of the American Hospital Association (AHA) copyrighted materials contained within this publication may be copied without the express written consent of the AHA. AHA copyrighted materials including the UB‐04 codes and descriptions may not be removed, copied, or utilized within any software, product, service, solution or derivative work without the written consent of the AHA. If an entity wishes to utilize any AHA materials, please contact the AHA at 312‐893‐6816.

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CMS National Coverage Policy

Social Security Act (Title XVIII) Standard References:

  • Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, Section 1833(e) states that no payment shall be made to any provider of services or other person under this part unless there has been furnished such information as may be necessary in order to determine the amounts due such provider or other person under this part for the period with respect to which the amounts are being paid or for any prior period.

Article Guidance

Article Text

This First Coast Billing and Coding Article for Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L33813 Destruction of Malignant Skin Lesions provides billing and coding guidance for frequency limitations as well as diagnosis limitations that support diagnosis to procedure code automated denials. However, services performed for any given diagnosis must meet all of the indications and limitations stated in the LCD, the general requirements for medical necessity as stated in CMS payment policy manuals, any and all existing CMS national coverage determinations, and all Medicare payment rules.

Please refer to the LCD for reasonable and necessary requirements and limitations.

The redetermination process may be utilized for consideration of services performed outside of the reasonable and necessary requirements in the LCD.

Coding Guidelines

Notice: It is not appropriate to bill Medicare for services that are not covered (as described by the entire LCD) as if they are covered. When billing for non-covered services, use the appropriate modifier. 

Documentation Requirements

  1. All documentation must be maintained in the patient's medical record and made available to the contractor upon request.
  2. Every page of the record must be legible and include appropriate patient identification information (e.g., complete name, dates of service[s]). The documentation must include the legible signature of the physician or non-physician practitioner responsible for and providing the care to the patient.
  3. The submitted medical record must support the use of the selected ICD-10-CM code(s). The submitted CPT/HCPCS code must describe the service performed.
  4. The medical record/progress note should indicate the removal of a malignant lesion with a corresponding pathology report or a clinical description consistent with a skin malignancy. The size and location of the lesion must be included in the documentation. 

Response To Comments

Number Comment Response
1
N/A

Coding Information

Bill Type Codes

Code Description
999x Not Applicable
N/A

Revenue Codes

Code Description
99999 Not Applicable
N/A

CPT/HCPCS Codes

Group 1

(18 Codes)
Group 1 Paragraph

Note: Providers are reminded to refer to the long descriptors of the CPT codes in their CPT book.

Group 1 Codes
Code Description
17260 Dstrj mal les t/a/l 0.5 cm/<
17261 Dstrj mal les t/a/l .6-1.0cm
17262 Dstrj mal les t/a/l 1.1-2.0
17263 Dstrj mal les t/a/l 2.1-3.0
17264 Dstrj mal les t/a/l 3.1-4.0
17266 Dstrj mal les t/a/l >4.0 cm
17270 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g .5 /<
17271 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g 0.6-1
17272 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g 1.1-2
17273 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g 2.1-3
17274 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g 3.1-4
17276 Dstr mal les s/n/h/f/g >4.0
17280 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m .5/<
17281 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m .6-1
17282 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m1.1-2
17283 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m2.1-3
17284 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m3.1-4
17286 Dstr mal ls f/e/e/n/l/m>4.0
N/A

CPT/HCPCS Modifiers

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

N/A

Group 1 Codes

N/A

N/A

ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

(196 Codes)
Group 1 Paragraph

It is the provider’s responsibility to select codes carried out to the highest level of specificity and selected from the ICD-10-CM code book appropriate to the year in which the service is rendered for the claim(s) submitted.

The following ICD-10-CM codes support medical necessity and provide limited coverage for CPT codes: 17260, 17261, 17262, 17263, 17264, 17266, 17270, 17271, 17272, 17273, 17274, 17276, 17280, 17281, 17282, 17283, 17284, and 17286.

Group 1 Codes
Code Description
C05.0 Malignant neoplasm of hard palate
C05.1 Malignant neoplasm of soft palate
C05.2 Malignant neoplasm of uvula
C05.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of palate
C05.9 Malignant neoplasm of palate, unspecified
C06.0 Malignant neoplasm of cheek mucosa
C06.1 Malignant neoplasm of vestibule of mouth
C06.2 Malignant neoplasm of retromolar area
C06.80 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of unspecified parts of mouth
C06.89 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of other parts of mouth
C06.9 Malignant neoplasm of mouth, unspecified
C43.0 Malignant melanoma of lip
C43.10 Malignant melanoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus
C43.111 Malignant melanoma of right upper eyelid, including canthus
C43.112 Malignant melanoma of right lower eyelid, including canthus
C43.121 Malignant melanoma of left upper eyelid, including canthus
C43.122 Malignant melanoma of left lower eyelid, including canthus
C43.20 Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
C43.21 Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal
C43.22 Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal
C43.30 Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face
C43.31 Malignant melanoma of nose
C43.39 Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
C43.4 Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck
C43.51 Malignant melanoma of anal skin
C43.52 Malignant melanoma of skin of breast
C43.59 Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
C43.60 Malignant melanoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
C43.61 Malignant melanoma of right upper limb, including shoulder
C43.62 Malignant melanoma of left upper limb, including shoulder
C43.70 Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip
C43.71 Malignant melanoma of right lower limb, including hip
C43.72 Malignant melanoma of left lower limb, including hip
C43.8 Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin
C4A.0 Merkel cell carcinoma of lip
C4A.10 Merkel cell carcinoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus
C4A.111 Merkel cell carcinoma of right upper eyelid, including canthus
C4A.112 Merkel cell carcinoma of right lower eyelid, including canthus
C4A.121 Merkel cell carcinoma of left upper eyelid, including canthus
C4A.122 Merkel cell carcinoma of left lower eyelid, including canthus
C4A.20 Merkel cell carcinoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
C4A.21 Merkel cell carcinoma of right ear and external auricular canal
C4A.22 Merkel cell carcinoma of left ear and external auricular canal
C4A.30 Merkel cell carcinoma of unspecified part of face
C4A.31 Merkel cell carcinoma of nose
C4A.39 Merkel cell carcinoma of other parts of face
C4A.4 Merkel cell carcinoma of scalp and neck
C4A.51 Merkel cell carcinoma of anal skin
C4A.52 Merkel cell carcinoma of skin of breast
C4A.59 Merkel cell carcinoma of other part of trunk
C4A.60 Merkel cell carcinoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
C4A.61 Merkel cell carcinoma of right upper limb, including shoulder
C4A.62 Merkel cell carcinoma of left upper limb, including shoulder
C4A.70 Merkel cell carcinoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip
C4A.71 Merkel cell carcinoma of right lower limb, including hip
C4A.72 Merkel cell carcinoma of left lower limb, including hip
C4A.8 Merkel cell carcinoma of overlapping sites
C4A.9 Merkel cell carcinoma, unspecified
C44.01 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of lip
C44.02 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of lip
C44.09 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of lip
C44.1121 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1122 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.1191 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1192 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.1221 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1222 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.1291 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1292 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.1921 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1922 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.1991 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left upper eyelid, including canthus
C44.1992 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left lower eyelid, including canthus
C44.212 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
C44.219 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
C44.222 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
C44.229 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
C44.292 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
C44.299 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
C44.311 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of nose
C44.319 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of other parts of face
C44.321 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of nose
C44.329 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of other parts of face
C44.391 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of nose
C44.399 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of other parts of face
C44.41 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of scalp and neck
C44.42 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of scalp and neck
C44.49 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of scalp and neck
C44.510 Basal cell carcinoma of anal skin
C44.511 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of breast
C44.519 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of other part of trunk
C44.520 Squamous cell carcinoma of anal skin
C44.521 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of breast
C44.529 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of other part of trunk
C44.590 Other specified malignant neoplasm of anal skin
C44.591 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of breast
C44.599 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of other part of trunk
C44.612 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right upper limb, including shoulder
C44.619 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left upper limb, including shoulder
C44.622 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right upper limb, including shoulder
C44.629 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left upper limb, including shoulder
C44.692 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right upper limb, including shoulder
C44.699 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left upper limb, including shoulder
C44.712 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of right lower limb, including hip
C44.719 Basal cell carcinoma of skin of left lower limb, including hip
C44.722 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right lower limb, including hip
C44.729 Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left lower limb, including hip
C44.792 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of right lower limb, including hip
C44.799 Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of left lower limb, including hip
C44.81 Basal cell carcinoma of overlapping sites of skin
C44.82 Squamous cell carcinoma of overlapping sites of skin
C44.89 Other specified malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of skin
C46.0 Kaposi's sarcoma of skin
C46.1 Kaposi's sarcoma of soft tissue
C46.2 Kaposi's sarcoma of palate
C46.7 Kaposi's sarcoma of other sites
C47.0 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of head, face and neck
C47.10 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
C47.11 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of right upper limb, including shoulder
C47.12 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of left upper limb, including shoulder
C47.20 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of unspecified lower limb, including hip
C47.21 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of right lower limb, including hip
C47.22 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of left lower limb, including hip
C47.3 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of thorax
C47.4 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of abdomen
C47.5 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of pelvis
C47.6 Malignant neoplasm of peripheral nerves of trunk, unspecified
C47.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of peripheral nerves and autonomic nervous system
C49.0 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck
C49.10 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
C49.11 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of right upper limb, including shoulder
C49.12 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of left upper limb, including shoulder
C49.20 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of unspecified lower limb, including hip
C49.21 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of right lower limb, including hip
C49.22 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of left lower limb, including hip
C49.3 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of thorax
C49.4 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of abdomen
C49.5 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of pelvis
C49.6 Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of trunk, unspecified
C49.8 Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of connective and soft tissue
C76.0 Malignant neoplasm of head, face and neck
C76.1 Malignant neoplasm of thorax
C76.2 Malignant neoplasm of abdomen
C76.3 Malignant neoplasm of pelvis
C76.40 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified upper limb
C76.41 Malignant neoplasm of right upper limb
C76.42 Malignant neoplasm of left upper limb
C76.50 Malignant neoplasm of unspecified lower limb
C76.51 Malignant neoplasm of right lower limb
C76.52 Malignant neoplasm of left lower limb
C76.8 Malignant neoplasm of other specified ill-defined sites
D03.0 Melanoma in situ of lip
D03.10 Melanoma in situ of unspecified eyelid, including canthus
D03.111 Melanoma in situ of right upper eyelid, including canthus
D03.112 Melanoma in situ of right lower eyelid, including canthus
D03.121 Melanoma in situ of left upper eyelid, including canthus
D03.122 Melanoma in situ of left lower eyelid, including canthus
D03.20 Melanoma in situ of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
D03.21 Melanoma in situ of right ear and external auricular canal
D03.22 Melanoma in situ of left ear and external auricular canal
D03.30 Melanoma in situ of unspecified part of face
D03.39 Melanoma in situ of other parts of face
D03.4 Melanoma in situ of scalp and neck
D03.51 Melanoma in situ of anal skin
D03.52 Melanoma in situ of breast (skin) (soft tissue)
D03.59 Melanoma in situ of other part of trunk
D03.60 Melanoma in situ of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
D03.61 Melanoma in situ of right upper limb, including shoulder
D03.62 Melanoma in situ of left upper limb, including shoulder
D03.70 Melanoma in situ of unspecified lower limb, including hip
D03.71 Melanoma in situ of right lower limb, including hip
D03.72 Melanoma in situ of left lower limb, including hip
D03.8 Melanoma in situ of other sites
D04.0 Carcinoma in situ of skin of lip
D04.10 Carcinoma in situ of skin of unspecified eyelid, including canthus
D04.111 Carcinoma in situ of skin of right upper eyelid, including canthus
D04.112 Carcinoma in situ of skin of right lower eyelid, including canthus
D04.121 Carcinoma in situ of skin of left upper eyelid, including canthus
D04.122 Carcinoma in situ of skin of left lower eyelid, including canthus
D04.20 Carcinoma in situ of skin of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
D04.21 Carcinoma in situ of skin of right ear and external auricular canal
D04.22 Carcinoma in situ of skin of left ear and external auricular canal
D04.30 Carcinoma in situ of skin of unspecified part of face
D04.39 Carcinoma in situ of skin of other parts of face
D04.4 Carcinoma in situ of skin of scalp and neck
D04.5 Carcinoma in situ of skin of trunk
D04.60 Carcinoma in situ of skin of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
D04.61 Carcinoma in situ of skin of right upper limb, including shoulder
D04.62 Carcinoma in situ of skin of left upper limb, including shoulder
D04.70 Carcinoma in situ of skin of unspecified lower limb, including hip
D04.71 Carcinoma in situ of skin of right lower limb, including hip
D04.72 Carcinoma in situ of skin of left lower limb, including hip
D04.8 Carcinoma in situ of skin of other sites
D09.20 Carcinoma in situ of unspecified eye
D09.21 Carcinoma in situ of right eye
D09.22 Carcinoma in situ of left eye
N/A

ICD-10-CM Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

(1 Code)
Group 1 Paragraph

All those not listed under the “ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity” section of this article.

Group 1 Codes
Code Description
XX000 Not Applicable
N/A

ICD-10-PCS Codes

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

N/A

Group 1 Codes

N/A

N/A

Additional ICD-10 Information

N/A

Bill Type Codes

Contractors may specify Bill Types to help providers identify those Bill Types typically used to report this service. Absence of a Bill Type does not guarantee that the article does not apply to that Bill Type. Complete absence of all Bill Types indicates that coverage is not influenced by Bill Type and the article should be assumed to apply equally to all claims.

Code Description
999x Not Applicable
N/A

Revenue Codes

Contractors may specify Revenue Codes to help providers identify those Revenue Codes typically used to report this service. In most instances Revenue Codes are purely advisory. Unless specified in the article, services reported under other Revenue Codes are equally subject to this coverage determination. Complete absence of all Revenue Codes indicates that coverage is not influenced by Revenue Code and the article should be assumed to apply equally to all Revenue Codes.

Code Description
99999 Not Applicable
N/A

Other Coding Information

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

N/A

Group 1 Codes

N/A

N/A

Coding Table Information

Excluded CPT/HCPCS Codes - Table Format
Code Descriptor Generic Name Descriptor Brand Name Exclusion Effective Date Exclusion End Date Reason for Exclusion
N/A N/A
N/A
Non-Excluded CPT/HCPCS Ended Codes - Table Format
Code Descriptor Generic Name Descriptor Brand Name Exclusion Effective Date Exclusion End Date Reason for Exclusion
N/A

Revision History Information

Revision History Date Revision History Number Revision History Explanation
01/01/2024 R1

Article revised and published on 01/25/2024 effective for dates of service on and after 01/01/2024 to reflect the Annual HCPCS/CPT Code Updates. For the following CPT codes either the short description and/or the long description was changed. Depending on which description is used in this article, there may not be any change in how the code displays: 17260, 17261, 17262, 17263, 17264, 17266, 17270, 17271, 17272, 17273, 17274, 17276, 17280, 17281, 17282, 17283, 17284, and 17286 in Group 1 CPT/HCPCS Codes. The long descriptions in the Group 1 CPT/HCPCS Code table were changed to short descriptions. The Social Security Act Title XVIII, Section 1833e reference was added.

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Associated Documents

Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2 SAD Determinations
Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2
Related Local Coverage Documents
LCDs
L33813 - Destruction of Malignant Skin Lesions
Related National Coverage Documents
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Updated On Effective Dates Status
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11/22/2019 10/03/2018 - 12/31/2023 Superseded View

Keywords

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