Summary & Overview
CPT 14002: Soft-Tissue Repair, Outpatient Surgical Procedure
CPT code 14002 denotes a soft-tissue surgical procedure and is part of the Current Procedural Terminology system used nationwide to classify physician and outpatient surgical services. This code matters nationally because accurate coding supports appropriate clinical documentation, billing consistency, and payment integrity for outpatient surgical care. The analysis addresses coverage and benchmarking for major payers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of what the code represents and why it is used, a payer-focused coverage summary, and the clinical context for typical use in ambulatory surgical settings. The publication highlights benchmarks and common billing considerations, notes where input data are not available, and outlines the practical implications for coding and claims processing. It is designed for health policy analysts, billing professionals, and clinicians seeking a clear national overview of CPT code 14002 without state-specific rules.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 14002 represents a specific surgical procedure described as "14002" in the supplied description. The service is a soft-tissue surgical procedure consistent with procedures categorized under CPT surgical codes. The service type is surgical repair of soft tissue and the typical site of service is an outpatient surgical setting, such as an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department.
Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting with a full-thickness skin defect or soft-tissue loss after trauma, surgical excision of a skin lesion, or wound dehiscence requiring a local pedicle or advancement flap of intermediate size. The procedure described by 14002 is a local flap reconstruction involving adjacent tissue transfer to cover a defect between 30.1 cm2 and 60.0 cm2 (intermediate-sized). The clinical workflow begins with preoperative assessment in an outpatient surgical clinic or ambulatory surgery center, including wound evaluation, consent, and marking of the flap design. On the day of service, the patient undergoes sterile preparation and regional or local anesthesia with monitored sedation or general anesthesia as appropriate. The surgeon performs excision or debridement of nonviable tissue, designs and elevates the local flap, transfers and secures the flap to the defect, and closes donor and recipient sites. Postoperative instructions include wound care, activity restrictions, pain management, and follow-up visits for suture removal and flap viability assessment. Typical sites of service are outpatient surgical centers, hospital outpatient departments, and occasionally inpatient operating rooms for complex patients. Common clinical indications include traumatic avulsion injuries, excision of cutaneous malignancy with resultant moderate-size defects, chronic non-healing wounds requiring coverage, and closure after scar revision.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
24 | Unrelated Evaluation and Management Service by the Same Physician During a Postoperative Period |