tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2020 Issue Q2

Reader Question: Choose Burn Code Based on Size

Question: We saw a 6-year-old patient with a second-degree burn to the palm of her left hand, which she incurred after grabbing a hot curling iron. How should I go about coding this encounter? Delaware Subscriber Answer: Unlike first-degree burns, which are usually treated locally, second-degree burns, which go below the dermis and produce blisters, require debridement and dressing. This means you will choose a code from the 16020-16030 (Dressings and/or debridement of partial-thickness burns, initial or subsequent ...) range. Code choices in this group are determined by size, so if the burn comprises less than five percent of...

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