tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2002 Issue 11

Medicare Treats Tissue Adhesives Differently

CPT treats tissue adhesives identically to stitches or staples, allowing 12001-13160 to report wound closure/repairs using tissue adhesives alone or in combination with other closure methods. Under Medicare guidelines, however, if the surgeon uses tissue adhesives solely when repairing a wound, 12001-13160 are inappropriate. Rather, CMS has designated HCPCS code G0168 (Wound closure utilizing tissue adhesive[s] only) to report such procedures. G0168 reimburses at a lower rate than simple repair codes. The CMS Final Rule published November 1999 said that the relative value units for G0168 were based on the value of a level-two established patient visit (99212, Office...

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