CPT code 15004 identifies surgical preparation of a recipient site with an open wound, burn eschar, or scar contracture to receive a skin graft. The code applies to the initial 100 cm2 for adults and children aged 10 and older, and to the first 1 percent of body area for infants and children under 10. It is commonly used for complex anatomic areas such as the face, scalp, eyelids, mouth, neck, ears, orbits, genitalia, hands, feet, and multiple digits. Nationally, accurate use of this code matters for coding clarity, appropriate billing for reconstructive care, and alignment with payer policies covering burn and scar contracture management.

Key payers addressed in this publication include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, United Healthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise review of clinical context for using the code, common associated diagnoses where this service is applicable, and how this code interacts with related procedure coding for additional recipient site preparation (15005). The analysis covers typical sites of service and expected clinical scenarios, lists common ICD-10 diagnoses linked to recipient site preparation, and identifies payers included in the benchmarking set. This publication provides operational clarity and coding-focused guidance to billing and clinical staff to support consistent reporting of skin graft recipient-site preparation services across payers.