tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2008 Issue 8

Reader Questions: Suture Removal May (Rarely) Be Separate

Question: May we report suture removal separately? California Subscriber Answer: You may be able to report suture removal separately, but only in relatively rare circumstances. If the same physician who placed the sutures removes them during the original procedure's global period, you cannot report the removal separately. So, for instance, if a patient returns to the office for suture removal six weeks after a major surgery (that is, any surgery with a 90-day global period), you cannot report the removal separately (it's part of the standard follow-up care). Tip: Code 99024 (Postoperative follow-up visit, normally included in the surgical...

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