tci Part B Insider - 2003 Issue 21

Decubitus Ulcers: Confused by Ulcer Coding? Here Are Rules to Live By

In real estate, location is always the most important factor. But with decubitus ulcers, it's not necessarily so.   With decubitus ulcers, you only pay attention to the ulcer's location on the body if the physician actually excised the ulcer. If the physician debrided the ulcer, you only need to note how deep the ulcer went, says Jan Rasmussen with Professional Coding Solutions in Eau Claire, Wis. The ulcer debridement codes (11040-11044) range from skin-deep to bone-deep.   If you're billing for debridement of an ulcer and claiming it went all the way to the bone, you need careful...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci Part B Insider.

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.