Summary & Overview
CPT 17000: Destruction of a Single Benign or Premalignant Skin Lesion
Headline: CPT 17000: Destruction of a Single Benign or Premalignant Skin Lesion
Lead: CPT 17000 identifies the procedure for destroying a first benign or premalignant cutaneous lesion (for example, actinic keratosis) using laser, electrosurgical, cryosurgical, chemical, or curettage techniques. This code is widely used in dermatology and procedural dermatology settings and is relevant for outpatient office care nationwide.
What this code represents and why it matters: CPT 17000 documents the initial lesion destruction procedure and forms the basis for billing when one lesion is treated. Accurate use of the code is essential for proper claims processing, encounter documentation, and alignment with payer coverage policies for common skin conditions. Because these procedures are frequently performed in outpatient offices, consistent coding affects practice revenue and insurance reimbursement workflows.
Key payers covered: Analysis includes national private and public payers: Aetna; Blue Cross Blue Shield; Cigna Health; UnitedHealthcare; and Medicare.
Overview of content readers will find: The publication provides a clear clinical and billing description of CPT 17000, explains typical sites of service, and situates the code alongside related multiple-lesion codes. Readers will find guidance on common billing scenarios, payer policy considerations, and documentation elements needed to support use of the code. Data not available in the input will be identified where applicable.
CPT Code Overview
CPT 17000 describes the destruction of a single benign or premalignant skin lesion using methods such as laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, or surgical curettement. The code applies to all benign or premalignant lesions (for example, actinic keratoses) except skin tags and cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions.
Service Type: Destruction Procedures on Benign or Premalignant Lesions of the Integumentary System
Typical Site of Service: Office (POS 11)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old patient presents to a dermatology office with multiple rough, scaly patches on sun-exposed areas of the face and forearms. The clinician identifies a clinically suspicious lesion consistent with an actinic keratosis and elects to perform a destruction procedure in the office using cryosurgery for the most symptomatic lesion. The encounter includes lesion evaluation, informed consent, topical or local anesthesia as needed, and application of the destructive modality. Post-procedure wound care instructions and short-term follow-up are provided.
Coding Specifications
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Common Modifiers:
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59— Distinct Procedural Service: Use when the destruction procedure is separate and distinct from another service performed on the same day (for example, a separate lesion procedure that is not bundled with another surgical procedure). -
51— Multiple Procedures: Use when multiple procedures are performed during the same encounter and payer policy requires reporting a secondary procedure indicator for additional services. -
Provider Taxonomies and Specialties:
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty |---|---|
| 207N00000X | Dermatology |
| 207ND0101X | MOHS-Micrographic Surgery |
| 207NS0135X | Procedural Dermatology |