Treatment of Benign or Premalignant Skin Conditions

Policy ID: S-36-025

Section: Surgery

Effective Date: September 01, 2019

Revised Date: December 09, 2021

Revision Effective Date: March 07, 2022

Last Reviewed: January 20, 2022

Applies To: Commercial and Medicaid Expansion

Description

Lesions that cause irritation, pain or bleeding may require removal to alleviate symptoms. Surgical removal is also recommended for any lesion that shows possible signs of malignancy.

Actinic keratoses are sun-induced, premalignant lesions that appear primarily on photoexposed areas. Since many actinic keratoses eventually transform into squamous cell carcinoma, early removal of these lesions can reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with such malignant transformation.

Acne is a common, inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands characterized by comedones, papules, pustules, inflamed nodules, and superficial pus-filled cysts. Acne occurs when sebum blocks the sebaceous glands and adjacent hair follicles. This blockage allows bacteria to multiply and inflame the blocked hair follicle.

Criteria

Removal of a benign skin lesion (e.g., skin tags, nevus [mole], sebaceous cyst, wart, seborrheic keratosis, or pigmented lesion) may be considered medically necessary when ANY of the following criteria are met:

There is drainage, bleeding, burning, intense itching, or pain associated with the lesion; or
Inflammation, as evidenced by purulence, oozing, edema, erythema, etc.; or
The lesion obstructs a body orifice, or restricts vision; or
There is clinical suspicion of malignancy (e.g., a change in the ABCDEs of skin cancer [asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter, evolving or changing in size, shape or color]); or
Due to its anatomical location, the lesion is prone to being recurrently traumatized; or
A prior biopsy suggests or is indicative of lesion malignancy.

Removal of a benign skin lesion (e.g., nevus [mole], sebaceous cyst, wart, seborrheic keratosis, or pigmented lesion) not meeting the criteria as indicated in the policy is considered not medically necessary.

Procedure Codes

11300

11301

11302

11303

11305

11306

11307

11308

11310

11311

11312

11313

11400

11401

11402

11403

11404

11406

11420

11421

11422

11423

11424

11426

11440

11441

11442

11443

11444

11446

17110

17111

Removal of skin tags that do not meet above criteria considered cosmetic, and therefore considered non-covered.

Procedure Codes

11200

11201

For the treatment of Actinic Keratosis (AK) ANY of the following treatments may be considered medically necessary:

Cryosurgery (with liquid nitrogen); or
Topical medications (i.e., Topical diclofenac gel, imiquimod cream, ingenol mebutate gel, or 5-fluorouracil [5-FU]); or
Laser therapy; or
Photodynamic therapy (PDT); or
Electrodessication and curettage or full-thickness excision when EITHER of the following criteria is met:
- Progression to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is suspected; or
- There has been failure, intolerance or contraindication to treatment using conventional methods (e.g., cryotherapy, topical medication, laser therapy, and/or PDT); or
Medium-depth chemical peels, deep chemical peels, or dermabrasion when BOTH of the following criteria are met:
- There are greater than 10 AK lesions or severe diffuse AK lesions present; and
- There has been failure, intolerance or contraindication to treatment using conventional methods (e.g., cryotherapy, topical medication, or electrodessication and curettage).

AK treatments for any other indication is considered cosmetic and, therefore, non-covered.

Procedure Codes

17000

17003

17004

96567

96573

96574

J7308

J7309

J7345

Epidermal/superficial chemical peels or superficial dermabrasion for the treatment of actinic keratosis is considered cosmetic and therefore, non-covered.

Procedure Codes

15788

15792

Surgical treatment of acne may be considered medically necessary for marsupialization, opening, expression, removal of comedones, milia and pustules, incision and drainage.

Surgical treatment of acne is considered not medically necessary for all other indications not listed above. not meeting the criteria as indicated in this policy is/are considered not medically necessary.

Procedure Codes

10040

Laser treatment of active acne is considered experimental/investigational. The safety and effectiveness of this service cannot be established by review of the available published peer-reviewed literature.

Procedure Codes

17110

17111

Diagnosis Codes

Covered diagnosis codes for procedure codes 11300, 11301, 11302, 11303, 11305, 11306, 11307, 11308, 11310, 11311, 11312, 11313, 11400, 11401, 11402, 11403, 11404, 11406, 11420, 11421, 11422, 11423, 11424, 11426, 11440, 11441, 11442, 11443, 11444, 11446, 17110, 17111

A63.0

B07.0

B07.8

B07.9

B08.1

D10.0

D17.0

D17.1

D17.20

D17.21

D17.22

D17.23

D17.24

D17.30

D17.39

D21.0

D22.0

D22.11

D22.111

D22.112

D22.12

D22.121

D22.122

D22.2

D22.20

D22.21

D22.22

D22.30

D22.39

D22.4

D22.5

D22.61

D22.62

D22.71

D22.72

D22.61

D23.0

D23.4

D23.5

D23.10

D23.111

D23.112

D23.121

D23.122

D23.20

D23.21

D23.22

D23.30

D23.39

D23.60

D23.61

D23.62

D23.70

D23.71

D23.72

D37.01

D48.1

D48.5

D48.61

D48.62

D48.7

H02.821

H02.822

H02.823

H02.824

H02.825

H02.826

I78.1

K13.21

L72.0

L72.11

L72.12

L72.3

L82.0

L82.1

L98.0

Z85.820

Z85.821

Z85.828

Non-covered Diagnosis Codes for procedures codes 17110 and 17111.

L70.0

L70.1

L70.3

L70.4

L70.5

L70.8

L70.9

L73.0

Covered Diagnosis Codes for procedure codes 17000, 17003, 17004, 96567, 96573, 96574, J7308, J7309, J7345

L57.0

Professional Statements and Societal Positions Guidelines

Not Applicable

ND Committee Review

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-16-2019 Coding update

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-22-2020 Coding update (added D22.30, D22.39, removed D22.9)

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-22-2021 Annual Review

Internal Medical Policy Committee 1-20-2022 Revision-Title change, updated criteria with clarifying language; added procedure and diagnosis codes

Added Procedure Codes: 15788; 15792; 17000; 17003; 17004; 17110; 17111; 96567; 96573, 96574, J7308
Added Non-covered Diagnosis Codes for Procedure Codes 17110 and 17111 statement; and
- Diagnosis Codes: L70.0; L70.0; L70.3; L70.4; L70.5; L70.8; L70.9; L73.0
Added Covered Diagnosis Codes for Procedure Codes 17000, 17003, 17004, 96567, 96573, 96574, J7308, J7309, J7345 statement; and
- Diagnosis Code: L57.0

Links

References (PDF)

Disclaimer

Current medical policy is to be used in determining a Member's contract benefits on the date that services are rendered. Contract language, including definitions and specific inclusions/exclusions, as well as state and federal law, must be considered in determining eligibility for coverage. Members must consult their applicable benefit plans or contact a Member Services representative for specific coverage information. Likewise, medical policy, which addresses the issue(s) in any specific case, should be considered before utilizing medical opinion in adjudication. Medical technology is constantly evolving, and the Company reserves the right to review and update medical policy periodically.

Policy ID: S-36-024

Section: Surgery

Effective Date: September 01, 2019

Revised Date: July 22, 2020

Revision Effective Date: September 07, 2020

Last Reviewed: July 22, 2021

Archived Date: March 07, 2022

Applies To: Commercial and Medicaid Expansion

Description

Lesions that cause irritation, pain or bleeding may require removal to alleviate symptoms. Surgical removal is also recommended for any lesion that shows possible signs of malignancy.

Criteria

There is drainage, bleeding, burning, intense itching, or pain associated with the lesion; or
Inflammation, as evidenced by purulence, oozing, edema, erythema, etc.; or
The lesion obstructs a body orifice, or restricts vision; or
There is clinical suspicion of malignancy (e.g., a change in the ABCDEs of skin cancer [asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter, evolving or changing in size, shape or color]); or
Due to its anatomical location, the lesion is prone to being recurrently traumatized; or
A prior biopsy suggests or is indicative of lesion malignancy.

Removal of a benign skin lesion (e.g., nevus [mole], sebaceous cyst, wart, seborrheic keratosis, or pigmented lesion) not meeting above criteria is considered not medically necessary.

Procedure Codes

11300

11301

11302

11303

11305

11306

11307

11308

11310

11311

11312

11313

11400

11401

11402

11403

11404

11406

11420

11421

11422

11423

11424

11426

11440

11441

11442

11443

11444

11446

17110

17111

Removal of skin tags that do not meet above criteria considered cosmetic, and therefore considered non-covered.

Procedure Codes

11200

11201

Diagnosis Codes

A63.0

B07.0

B07.8

B07.9

B08.1

D17.0

D17.1

D17.20

D17.21

D17.22

D17.23

D17.24

D17.30

D17.39

D22.0

D22.4

D22.5

D22.10

D22.111

D22.112

D22.121

D22.122

D22.20

D22.21

D22.22

D22.30

D22.39

D22.60

D22.61

D22.62

D22.70

D22.71

D22.72

D23.0

D23.4

D23.5

D23.10

D23.111

D23.112

D23.121

D23.122

D23.20

D23.21

D23.22

D23.30

D23.39

D23.60

D23.61

D23.62

D23.70

D23.71

D23.72

D48.5

D48.7

D49.2

H02.821

H02.822

H02.823

H02.824

H02.825

H02.826

H02.829

I78.1

L72.0

L72.3

L82.0

L82.1

L98.0

Z85.820

Z85.828

Professional Statements and Societal Positions Guidelines

Not Applicable

ND Committee Review

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-16-2019 Coding update

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-22-2020 Coding update (added D22.30, D22.39, removed D22.9)

Internal Medical Policy Committee 7-22-2021 Annual Review

Links

References (PDF)

Disclaimer

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