Summary & Overview
CPT 11402: Excision of Benign Skin Lesion, Trunk/Arms/Legs 1.1–2.0 cm
CPT code 11402 denotes the surgical excision of a benign (noncancerous) skin lesion, excluding skin tags, with a diameter of 1.1 to 2.0 cm including margins, located on the trunk, arms, or legs. This procedure code is commonly used by dermatology, general surgery, and primary care clinicians for definitive removal of benign cutaneous neoplasms. Nationally, accurate coding of excisions like 11402 affects procedural reporting, resource allocation, and claims adjudication for outpatient surgical services.
Key payers in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for use of 11402, comparisons with adjacent lesion-size codes, and what to expect in terms of typical site-of-service classification (office or ambulatory surgical setting). The publication outlines common billing considerations and coding context without providing clinical recommendations. It highlights how 11402 fits within the series of excision codes for benign lesions and what clinicians and billing staff should recognize about lesion size and anatomical site when selecting the correct code.
This national overview is intended for coding professionals, practice managers, and clinicians who manage outpatient surgical dermatologic procedures and seek clear guidance on the clinical meaning and billing context of CPT code 11402.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 11402 describes the excision of a benign (noncancerous) skin lesion, excluding skin tags, with a diameter of 1.1 to 2.0 cm measured including margins. The procedure involves surgical removal of the lesion and surrounding margins to ensure full excision.
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Service type: Surgical excision of benign skin lesion
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Typical site of service: Outpatient ambulatory surgery center or physician office on the trunk, arms, or legs
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 52-year-old patient presents to a dermatology clinic with a slow-growing, well-circumscribed, nonpigmented papule on the lateral forearm measuring approximately 1.5 cm in greatest diameter. The lesion is clinically benign and has been symptomatic with intermittent irritation from clothing. After informed consent and preoperative evaluation in the outpatient clinic, the dermatology physician schedules an in-office excision. On the day of service the physician marks margins, administers local anesthesia (e.g., 1% lidocaine with epinephrine), performs an elliptical excision including margins, achieves hemostasis, and closes the wound with layered sutures. The excised specimen is submitted for routine pathology if indicated. Typical documentation includes lesion location, measured lesion diameter including margins (1.1–2.0 cm), clinical diagnosis (e.g., D23.62), intraoperative details (anesthesia, technique, complications), and postoperative instructions. This procedure is commonly performed in an outpatient ambulatory surgical center or office-based dermatology procedure room by a dermatology, family medicine, or general surgery physician and is reported with 11402 for a benign skin lesion of the trunk, arms, or legs with diameter 1.1–2.0 cm including margins.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the day of a procedure |