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CPT 11620: Excision of Malignant Skin Lesion ≤0.5 cm, Scalp/Neck/Hands/Feet/Genitalia
CPT code 11620 represents the excision of a malignant skin lesion, including margins, when the excised diameter is 0.5 cm or less. This minor surgical procedure is commonly used to remove small primary skin cancers located on anatomically sensitive sites such as the scalp, neck, hands, feet, and genitalia. Nationally, proper coding for this service affects billing accuracy, surgical quality tracking, and cancer care workflows.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the code's clinical context, typical sites of service, and related procedural codes used for coding continuity. The publication outlines commonly associated diagnosis mappings and adjacent procedure codes for wound closure, biopsy, and lesion destruction to aid code selection and claims alignment.
The content highlights where 11620 fits within surgical management of malignant skin lesions, clarifies the narrow size criterion that differentiates it from adjacent excision codes, and identifies related services that may appear on the same claim line. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. This national-level summary is intended as an informational reference for coding, billing, and clinical documentation teams.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 11620 describes the surgical excision of a malignant skin lesion, including margins, with an excised diameter of 0.5 cm or less. The procedure focuses on removing cancerous skin lesions and surrounding tissue to obtain clear margins.
Service Type: Surgical excision of malignant skin lesion
Typical Site of Service: Scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Commercial averages are well above Medicare for CPT 11620: Blue Cross Blue Shield’s mean commercial rate of $1,341.70 and BUCA’s mean of $857.70 both exceed Medicare’s mean of $205.90, with BCBS especially elevated versus the federal fee. UnitedHealth Group and Cigna also sit above Medicare with means of $278.80 and $255.40 respectively, while Aetna’s mean of $103.00 lies below Medicare.
Dispersion measured as the interquartile gap (P75 minus P25) varies notably: Blue Cross Blue Shield has the widest IQR at $512.50 (P75 $1,628.20 minus P25 $1,115.70), indicating substantial spread in commercial contracting; UnitedHealth Group follows with an IQR of $182.50; Cigna’s IQR is $168.40; BUCA’s IQR is $379.20. Aetna shows the tightest IQR at $109.20, reflecting the smallest middle-range variability among these payers.