Summary & Overview
CPT 11624: Excision of Malignant Skin Lesion, 3.1–4.0 cm
CPT code 11624 denotes the surgical excision of a malignant skin lesion with margins for lesions measuring 3.1 to 4.0 cm in diameter, performed on anatomically sensitive areas such as the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia. This code is a key surgical oncology CPT descriptor used nationwide for reporting and payment of wide local excisions of skin cancers in high-complexity anatomical sites. Accurate use of this code affects clinical documentation, billing integrity, and aggregate national procedure counts for dermatologic and surgical oncology care.
Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find benchmarks for typical reimbursement and utilization patterns, coding guidance context, and clinical considerations tied to lesion size and anatomic location. The content also summarizes common modifiers in use and notes where additional coding detail or documentation is frequently required.
This publication provides a concise reference to the clinical scope of CPT code 11624, its role in surgical dermatology and oncology practice, and the payer landscape that influences coding and billing. Data not available in the input are noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 11624 describes the surgical excision of a malignant skin lesion with margins measuring 3.1 to 4.0 cm in diameter. The procedure includes removal of the lesion and surrounding tissue to achieve appropriate oncologic margins.
Service type: Surgical excision of malignant lesion
Typical site of service: Skin of the scalp, neck, hands, feet, or genitalia (sex organs)
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 68-year-old male presents to a dermatologic surgery clinic with a biopsy-proven invasive squamous cell carcinoma on the dorsal hand measuring 3.4 cm in greatest diameter. The lesion is located on the hand, within the anatomical sites specified for this code. Preoperative evaluation includes history and focused physical exam, review of pathology confirming malignancy, marking margins, photographic documentation, and consent. On the day of service the patient undergoes excision under local or regional anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery setting. The surgeon measures the lesion and documents the post-excision specimen size and margins, performs hemostasis, and closes the defect with a primary closure. Operative notes document lesion diameter (3.4 cm), margin status, anesthesia, estimated blood loss, and whether additional procedures (e.g., flap or graft) were performed. Postoperative instructions and wound care are provided, and pathology of the excised specimen is sent for final margin evaluation. Billing uses 11624 for excision of a malignant lesion, including margins, 3.1–4.0 cm, from the skin of the hand, with appropriate modifiers added for circumstances such as multiple procedures, professional component, laterality, or unusual services.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
50 | Bilateral procedure | When identical procedure performed on both hands or paired sites in same session |