How To Use CPT Code 17999

CPT 17999 is an unlisted procedure code for skin, mucous membrane, and subcutaneous tissue procedures. This article will cover the description, procedure, qualifying circumstances, when to use the code, documentation requirements, billing guidelines, historical information, similar codes, and examples of CPT 17999 procedures.

1. What is CPT 17999?

CPT 17999 is an unlisted procedure code used to describe a procedure or service related to the skin, mucous membrane, and subcutaneous tissue that does not have a specific CPT code assigned to it. Medical coders and billers use this code when there is no definitive code available for a particular procedure or service. When using CPT 17999, it is essential to provide supporting documentation and a cover letter explaining the reasons for using the unlisted code, as well as a comparison to a similar service with a definitive code and its payment amount.

2. 17999 CPT code description

The official description of CPT code 17999 is: “Unlisted procedure, skin, mucous membrane and subcutaneous tissue.”

3. Procedure

As CPT 17999 is an unlisted code, the specific procedure will vary depending on the service provided. However, the procedure must involve the skin, mucous membrane, or subcutaneous tissue. When using this code, it is crucial to include a detailed step-by-step description of the procedure in the supporting documentation submitted with the claim.

4. Qualifying circumstances

Patients eligible to receive services billed under CPT code 17999 are those who require a procedure involving the skin, mucous membrane, or subcutaneous tissue that does not have a specific CPT code assigned to it. The medical necessity of the procedure must be clearly documented, and the procedure must be within the scope of practice of the healthcare provider performing the service.

5. When to use CPT code 17999

CPT code 17999 should be used when there is no definitive CPT code available for a particular procedure or service involving the skin, mucous membrane, or subcutaneous tissue. It is essential to ensure that the use of this unlisted code is justified and that all necessary supporting documentation is provided to avoid claim denials.

6. Documentation requirements

When using CPT 17999, it is necessary to submit supporting documentation, such as the procedure report or operative notes, along with the claim. This documentation should provide an adequate description of the nature, extent, need for the procedure, and the time, effort, and equipment necessary to provide the service. Additionally, a cover letter should be submitted explaining the reasons for using the unlisted code, a comparison to a similar service with a definitive code and its payment amount, and the rationale for the claimed reimbursement amount.

7. Billing guidelines

When billing for CPT 17999, it is important to follow the appropriate guidelines and rules. As this is an unlisted code, no fee is assigned to it by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Therefore, it is necessary to compare the unlisted procedure with a similar service with a definitive CPT code and its payment amount. In the cover letter, explain the reasons for billing the claimed reimbursement amount, which can help avoid claim denials.

8. Historical information

CPT 17999 was added to the Current Procedural Terminology system on January 1, 1990. There have been no updates to the descriptor since its addition.

9. Similar codes to CPT 17999

While the specific codes will depend on the nature of the procedure, some examples of similar codes to CPT 17999 include:

  1. CPT 10060: Incision and drainage of abscess (e.g., carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia); simple or single.
  2. CPT 12001: Simple repair of superficial wounds of the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; 2.5 cm or less.
  3. CPT 13100: Repair, complex, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, axillae, genitalia, hands, and/or feet; 1.1 cm to 2.5 cm.
  4. CPT 14000: Adjacent tissue transfer or rearrangement, face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, and/or feet; defect 10 sq cm or less.
  5. CPT 15100: Split-thickness autograft, face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, and/or feet; first 100 sq cm or less, or 1% of body area of infants and children.

It is important to note that these codes should not be used in place of CPT 17999 if the specific procedure does not have a definitive code assigned to it.

10. Examples

Below are ten detailed examples of procedures that may be billed using CPT code 17999:

  1. Excision of a rare skin lesion not described by a specific CPT code.
  2. Removal of a foreign body embedded in the subcutaneous tissue without a specific code.
  3. Complex wound closure involving multiple layers of the skin and subcutaneous tissue not described by a specific code.
  4. Experimental skin grafting technique not yet assigned a definitive CPT code.
  5. Use of a novel laser treatment for a skin condition not described by a specific code.
  6. Application of a specialized dressing for a complex wound not covered by a specific CPT code.
  7. Excision and repair of a congenital skin anomaly not described by a specific code.
  8. Use of a new technology for the treatment of a mucous membrane disorder not yet assigned a definitive code.
  9. Removal and reconstruction of a large skin lesion involving multiple tissue layers not described by a specific CPT code.
  10. Use of an innovative technique for the treatment of a subcutaneous tissue disorder not yet assigned a definitive code.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *