Summary & Overview
CPT 17110: Destruction of Benign Skin Lesions, Up to 14 Lesions
CPT code 17110 is a widely utilized billing code in dermatology, representing the destruction of benign skin lesions (excluding skin tags and cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions) for up to 14 lesions in a single session. This procedure is performed using various techniques, including laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, or surgical curettement. The code is relevant for both clinical and billing purposes, as it is commonly used in office, ambulatory surgical center, and hospital outpatient settings.
Major national payers such as Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, Medicare, and UnitedHealthcare provide coverage for services billed under CPT 17110. The code is associated with a range of ICD-10 diagnoses, including viral warts, molluscum contagiosum, hemangiomas, melanocytic nevi, and other benign skin neoplasms. Readers will gain insight into payer coverage, clinical indications, and policy benchmarks for this procedure, as well as updates on relevant modifiers and associated taxonomies. The publication also highlights related codes, such as CPT 17111, which covers destruction of 15 or more lesions.
This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical context, payer landscape, and coding details for CPT 17110, supporting informed decision-making for stakeholders in dermatology and medical billing.
CPT Code Overview
CPT 17110 is used to report the destruction of benign skin lesions, excluding skin tags and cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions, for up to 14 lesions in a single session. This procedure may involve methods such as laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, or surgical curettement. It is commonly performed in dermatology and integumentary surgery settings. Typical sites of service include the physician's office (POS 11), ambulatory surgical centers (POS 24), and hospital outpatient departments (POS 22).
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient scenario involves an adult presenting to a dermatology or primary care office with multiple benign skin lesions, such as warts, nevi, or benign neoplasms. The provider evaluates the lesions and determines that destruction is clinically indicated for up to 14 lesions. The procedure may be performed using laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, or surgical curettement. The workflow includes assessment, informed consent, lesion mapping, and destruction of the lesions, followed by post-procedure care instructions. This service is commonly performed in an office setting, ambulatory surgical center, or hospital outpatient department.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier Code | Description | When Used |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure | When an E/M service is performed in addition to the procedure |
57 | Decision for surgery | When the E/M service results in the decision to perform surgery |
GY | Item or service statutorily excluded or does not meet the definition of any Medicare benefit | When the service is not covered by Medicare |
Provider Taxonomies:
207N00000X- Dermatology207Q00000X- Family Medicine207R00000X- Internal Medicine
These taxonomies represent providers who commonly perform destruction of benign skin lesions.
Related Diagnoses
A63.0- Anogenital (venereal) warts- Relevant for destruction of genital warts.
B07.0- Plantar wart- Indicates destruction of warts on the feet.
B07.8- Other viral warts- Used for destruction of non-specific viral warts.
B08.1- Molluscum contagiosum- Destruction of molluscum lesions.
D18.01- Hemangioma of skin and subcutaneous tissue- Destruction of benign vascular skin lesions.
D18.1- Lymphangioma, any site- Destruction of benign lymphatic lesions.
D22.5- Melanocytic nevi of trunk- Removal of benign pigmented lesions on the trunk.
D22.61- Melanocytic nevi of right upper limb, including shoulder- Removal of benign pigmented lesions on the right upper limb.
D22.62- Melanocytic nevi of left upper limb, including shoulder- Removal of benign pigmented lesions on the left upper limb.
D22.71- Melanocytic nevi of right lower limb, including hip- Removal of benign pigmented lesions on the right lower limb.
D22.72- Melanocytic nevi of left lower limb, including hip- Removal of benign pigmented lesions on the left lower limb.
D23.5- Other benign neoplasm of skin of trunk- Destruction of other benign skin neoplasms on the trunk.
D23.61- Other benign neoplasm of skin of right upper limb, including shoulder- Destruction of other benign skin neoplasms on the right upper limb.
D23.62- Other benign neoplasm of skin of left upper limb, including shoulder- Destruction of other benign skin neoplasms on the left upper limb.
D23.71- Other benign neoplasm of skin of right lower limb, including hip- Destruction of other benign skin neoplasms on the right lower limb.
D23.72- Other benign neoplasm of skin of left lower limb, including hip- Destruction of other benign skin neoplasms on the left lower limb.
D49.2- Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of bone, soft tissue, and skin- Used when the behavior of the skin lesion is uncertain.
L28.1- Prurigo nodularis- Destruction of pruritic nodular skin lesions.
L57.0- Actinic keratosis- Destruction of precancerous skin lesions.
L90.5- Scar conditions and fibrosis of skin- Destruction of hypertrophic or fibrotic skin lesions.
L91.0- Hypertrophic scar- Destruction of raised scar tissue.
L91.8- Other hypertrophic disorders of the skin- Destruction of other hypertrophic skin lesions.
L92.0- Granuloma annulare- Destruction of granulomatous skin lesions.
L92.8- Other granulomatous disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue- Destruction of other granulomatous skin lesions.
L98.0- Pyogenic granuloma- Destruction of vascular skin lesions.
B07.9- Viral wart, unspecified- Used for destruction of warts not otherwise specified.
D17.0- Benign lipomatous neoplasm of skin and subcutaneous tissue of head, face and neck- Destruction of benign fatty tumors in these regions.
D29.0- Benign neoplasm of penis- Destruction of benign lesions on the penis.
D29.4- Benign neoplasm of scrotum- Destruction of benign lesions on the scrotum.
D48.5- Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of skin- Used when the behavior of the skin lesion is uncertain.
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Clinical Relationship |
|---|---|---|
17111 | Destruction (eg, laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), of benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular proliferative lesions; 15 or more lesions. | Used when the number of lesions destroyed is 15 or more; alternative to 17110 when treating a larger number of lesions. |
17110 and 17111 are mutually exclusive based on the number of lesions treated. They are not used together for the same session but may be used as alternatives depending on lesion count.
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Nationally, the mean rate for CPT code 17110 under Medicare is $115.66, while the average commercial benchmark (BUCA) is $118.96. Commercial payers such as UnitedHealth Group and Cigna report higher mean rates, at $161.29 and $152.32 respectively, compared to both BUCA and Medicare.
Rate dispersion, measured by the difference between the 75th and 25th percentiles, varies significantly across payers. Medicare exhibits the tightest range ($13.00), indicating less variability in reimbursement, while UnitedHealth Group and Cigna show the widest ranges ($95.67 and $93.00 respectively), reflecting greater variability in commercial rates. Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield have moderate dispersion, with ranges of $49.40 and $47.19.
The table and chart below present a detailed breakdown of national benchmarks for CPT code 17110 by payer, including mean rates and percentile values.
Trek Health ingests and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data and payer policy updates to give provider organizations a clear view of how commercial reimbursement behaves across markets, payers, and services. Our platform transforms raw payer disclosures into structured intelligence that supports contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and service line strategy. By combining market benchmarks with ongoing policy visibility, Trek helps teams identify variability, risk, and opportunity in commercial reimbursement. The result is faster insight, stronger negotiating positions, and more informed financial decisions.