tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2007 Issue 10

Reader Question ~ Biopsy and Excision Can Be Separate

Question: What is the proper coding if my surgeon takes a biopsy and sends it to pathology for a frozen section, the sample returns positive for malignancy, and the surgeon then takes a larger margin to excise the whole lesion? Can I report both the biopsy and excision?What if pathology returns negative for malignancy and the surgeon subsequently takes a small margin to excise the entire lesion? South Carolina Subscriber Answer: CMS policy, as set forth in chapter 1 (-General Correct Coding Policies-) of the national Correct Coding Initiative, clearly states, -If the decision to perform a more...

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