New Skin Biopsy Codes #PACPearls
By Dr. Mark Kaufmann On July 12, 2018 CMS published their proposed rule on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. This 1,440 page document is filled with some very broad ranging proposals. These proposals include a blended E/M code system (one E/M code to replace 99202-99205, and 99212-99215), a 50% cut in E/Ms billed with a modifier -25, and another call for comments on whether global period visits are happening, just to name a few. While many of these changes could have wide ranging effects on all of our practices, today’s pearl will deal with the one change that will definitely happen on January 1, 2019- 6 new skin biopsy codes to replace the 2 that we are used to using. Current CPT codes 11100 and 11101 will be deleted from the CPT book AND will be denied payment if used on or after January 1, 2019. Replacing them will be 6 NEW codes- 3 base codes and 3 “additional biopsy" codes. The three new categories will be “Tangential Biopsy of Skin" (think Shave Biopsy)