Coding
CPT code
The five-digit procedure code set maintained by the AMA that describes what was performed.
What it means in dermatology
Dermatology relies on tight code families where a single digit changes the payment substantially: 11102 through 11107 for biopsies, 17000 series for destruction, 11400 and 11600 series for benign and malignant excisions, 12000 through 14000 series for repairs.
Code selection depends on documented specifics — lesion size before excision, margin width, closure layers, technique — that must be captured at the point of care, not reconstructed later.
Why it matters to your revenue
The wrong family member on a surgical claim is a full-value error, not a rounding error.
See this term in your own numbers
A free claims audit reviews a de-identified sample of your dermatology claims and returns a line-item findings report — including where terms like this one are costing you money.
Request a free claims audit