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    OpenPayerBilling CodesRepair-Simple Procedures on the Integumentary SystemCPT cpt-12002-simple-repair-superficial-wounds-26-75mm
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    CPT 12002: Simple Repair of Superficial Wounds 2.6–7.5 cm

    Medicare pays $144 and commercial payers pay $208 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 12002 describes the simple repair of superficial wounds measuring 2.6 to 7.5 cm on the scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk, and/or extremities (including hands and feet); the service is surgical wound closure performed in settings such as office, urgent care, emergency department, or ambulatory surgical center depending on clinical presentation and site of injury.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    National commercial averages for CPT 12002 sit above Medicare: BUCA’s mean rate is $207.80 while Medicare’s mean is $143.70, a gap of $64.10. Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealth Group show higher mean levels at $262.30 and $161.70 respectively, with Cigna and Aetna lower than BCBS but generally above Medicare. This positions Medicare as a lower baseline vs. several commercial payers, with BUCA representing a mid-to-high commercial average.

    Dispersion measured as the interquartile spread (P75–P25) varies notably by payer. Blue Cross Blue Shield has the widest IQR at $86.00 (P75 $319.90 minus P25 $211.30), followed by UnitedHealth Group at $111.10 (P75 $203.80 minus P25 $102.70) and Cigna at $103.60. Aetna’s IQR is $78.00. BUCA’s IQR is $102.50 and Medicare’s IQR is $16.00, making Medicare the tightest and Blue Cross Blue Shield among the widest in absolute interquartile spread.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 28-year-old male presents to the emergency department after sustaining a 4.0 cm superficial linear laceration to the left forearm when he tripped and struck a fence. The wound involves only the epidermis and superficial dermis without tendon, nerve, or major vessel involvement, and there is no foreign body. After triage and wound assessment, local anesthesia with 1% lidocaine is administered, the wound is irrigated and debrided, and a simple layered closure is performed using nonabsorbable interrupted sutures for the epidermis. The procedure is documented as a simple repair of a superficial wound measuring 4.0 cm, coded with 12002. Typical workflow includes consent, wound cleansing, anesthesia, suture repair, dressing application, post-procedure instructions, and scheduling of a follow-up visit for suture removal.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    12001Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk and/or extremities (including hands and feet) 2.5 cm or lessRepresents the smaller-length simple repair code used when wound length is 2.5 cm or less instead of 12002

    Related Modifiers

    11 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    25CPT modifier 25 indicates that on the same day as another procedure or service, the same physician or other qualified health care professional provided a significant, separately identifiable…- When to apply: Use modifier 25 only on an E/M code to indicate the same provider delivered a significant, separately identifiable E/M service on the same day as another procedure or service — i.e.,…
    59Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)…- Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a…
    52Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier…- Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of…
    53Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s…- Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues…
    76Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or…- Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the…
    77Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition…- Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently…
    50Modifier –50 (Bilateral Procedure) is appended to a CPT code when an identical procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures during the same operative session. The AMA states to add…- Use modifier -50 when the same CPT surgical, diagnostic, or radiology procedure is performed on paired anatomical structures (both sides of the body) during the same operative/session by the same…
    51Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic…- Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to…
    22Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the…- When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required…
    24Modifier 24 denotes an unrelated evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or qualified healthcare professional during a postoperative global period. Per CPT guidance,…- Use modifier 24 when you report an evaluation and management (E/M) service performed by the same physician or same-specialty group during a procedure’s postoperative global period that is unrelated…

    Showing 1–10 of 11

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    208600000X
    207Q00000X
    207P00000X
    163WC1400X
    376G00000X
    207RN0300X
    208VP0000X
    163WX0002X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    22 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    S01.02XALaceration with foreign body of scalp, initial encounter
    S01.81XALaceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter
    S41.011ALaceration without foreign body of right shoulder, initial encounter
    S41.012ALaceration without foreign body of left shoulder, initial encounter
    S51.811ALaceration without foreign body of right forearm, initial encounter
    S51.812ALaceration without foreign body of left forearm, initial encounter
    S61.011ALaceration without foreign body of right thumb without damage to nail, initial encounter
    S61.012ALaceration without foreign body of left thumb without damage to nail, initial encounter
    S61.111ALaceration without foreign body of right thumb with damage to nail, initial encounter
    S61.112ALaceration without foreign body of left thumb with damage to nail, initial encounter

    Showing 1–10 of 22

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Dermatology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Mohs Micrographic Surgerypremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    Mohs Micrographic Surgerypremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    Mohs Micrographic Surgerypremerabluecrossofwashington2027-02-05
    FilsuvezCigna2026-11-01
    Destruction of Pre-Malignant Skin LesionsAnthem2026-10-01
    Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverageOscar Health2026-10-01
    Treatment of Capillary Malformations (Port Wine Stains)universityofutahhealthplans2026-09-28
    AnzupgoCigna2026-09-15
    Hyperhidrosispriority_health_medicare2026-09-01
    Zevaskyn Coverage for Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis BullosaCigna2026-09-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-12001-SIMPLE-SUPERFICIAL-WOUND-REPAIR-25CM-OR-LESS

    CPT 12001: Simple repair of superficial wound, ≤2.5 cm

    CPT-12004-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUND-7-6-12-5-CM

    CPT 12004: Simple Repair of Superficial Wounds 7.6–12.5 cm

    CPT-12005-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUND-12-6-TO-20CM

    CPT 12005: Simple Repair of Superficial Wound 12.6–20.0 cm

    CPT-12006-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-20-1-30-CM

    CPT 12006: Simple Repair of Superficial Wound 20.1–30.0 cm

    CPT-12007-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-OVER-30CM

    CPT 12007: Simple repair of superficial wound >30.0 cm

    CPT-12011-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-FACIAL-WOUND-2-5CM-OR-LESS

    CPT 12011: Simple Repair of Superficial Facial/Mucous Membrane Wounds ≤2.5 cm

    CPT-12013-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-FACE-2-6-5-0-CM

    CPT 12013: Simple Repair of Superficial Facial Wounds, 2.6–5.0 cm

    CPT-12014-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-FACE-5-1-7-5-CM

    CPT 12014: Simple Repair of Superficial Facial Wounds 5.1–7.5 cm

    CPT-12015-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-FACE-76-125-CM

    CPT 12015: Simple Repair of Superficial Facial Wounds 7.6–12.5 cm

    CPT-12016-SIMPLE-REPAIR-SUPERFICIAL-WOUNDS-FACE-12-6-20-CM

    CPT 12016: Simple Repair of Superficial Wounds, Face 12.6–20 cm

    Showing 1–10 of 14

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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    12004Simple repair of superficial wounds of scalp, neck, axillae, external genitalia, trunk and/or extremities (including hands and feet) 7.6 cm to 12.5 cmRepresents the next length-based code for simple repairs when wound length exceeds the 12002 range