tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2020 Issue Q4

You Be the Coder: Can You Code the Thorn in This Patient’s Side?

Question: A patient came into the ED with a thorn embedded in the subcutaneous tissue of his forearm. The physician removed the thorn by making an incision. Which code applies to this service? Tennessee Subscriber Answer: In this situation, because your ED physician has made the incision into the patient’s forearm, you can code 10120 (Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple). Keep in mind that if the foreign body is deeper, or if it involves the fascia, this should be coded in the musculoskeletal system section of CPT®. In this particular example, that would mean...

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