Surgery: Integumentary System (Q&A) (March 2019)

March 2019 page 10a Surgery: Integumentary System Question: What is the correct code to report a fat-pad biopsy? Percutaneous "Tru-Cut" (core) needle fat biopsies were obtained at the same time and same general location (superficial to the posterior iliac crest) when the bone marrow biopsy is obtained for selected patients with myeloma and suspected amyloidosis. Answer: Code 17999, Unlisted procedure, skin, mucous membrane and subcutaneous tissue, should be reported for the fat biopsies. Currently, the CPT code set does not include a specific code to report core-needle biopsies of subcutaneous fat alone (without overlying epidermis/dermis). In addition, the codes...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This March 2019 CPT Assistant Q&A focuses on integumentary system coding and a biopsy scenario involving subcutaneous fat. It is useful for coders and billing staff who need to understand the article’s scope, the code set involved, and the general documentation topic covered in the guidance.

Why This Topic Matters

Articles like this help coders recognize when a procedure is not represented by a specific CPT code and may require use of an unlisted procedure category with supporting documentation.

Article Sections

  1. March 2019 page 10a

    A brief Q&A on coding an integumentary-system biopsy scenario discussed in CPT Assistant for March 2019.

What You Will Learn

  • The article’s focus within integumentary system coding
  • How the guidance addresses an unusual biopsy scenario
  • Why documentation may be relevant when a specific CPT code is not available
  • The general type of coding issue discussed in the Q&A format

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Billing staff
  • Compliance professionals
  • Physician practice managers

Codes Discussed


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