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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesDestruction Procedures on Benign or Premalignant Lesions of the Integumentary SystemCPT cpt-17003-destruction-premalignant-lesions-add-on-2-14-lesions
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    CPT 17003: Destruction of Premalignant Lesion (Add‑On, Lesions 2–14)

    Medicare pays $7 and commercial payers pay $46 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 17003 describes an add‑on destruction procedure for premalignant skin lesions, used for the second through the fourteenth lesion destroyed in an encounter; the service involves techniques such as chemosurgery, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, or similar destructive methods, typically provided as a procedural dermatology service in an outpatient clinic or office-based dermatology setting with one unit representing a single lesion.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverage, Topical Acne-Non-Retinoid Products, Dermatology - Vtama Drug Quantity Management Policy - Per Days.

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    National Reimbursement Benchmarks

    Medicare’s mean rate of $6.6 sits substantially below BUCA’s average commercial mean of $45.9, indicating a large gulf between government and average commercial reimbursements for CPT 17003. That gap reflects different pricing dynamics: Medicare’s payments are tightly clustered across its 47 localities (P25 $6, P50 $6, P75 $7), while BUCA’s commercial mean aligns with much higher midpoints (P25 $33.1, P50 $43.5, P75 $58), underscoring how commercial contracts can drive materially higher average rates than Medicare.

    Looking at dispersion measured as P75–P25, Aetna’s range is $38.9, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s is $30.9, BUCA’s is $24.9, Cigna’s is $6.5, and UnitedHealth Group’s is $6.0. Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield exhibit the widest spread, indicating greater variability in commercial pricing, while UnitedHealth Group and Cigna are the tightest, reflecting more compressed commercial rate distributions.

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    National Payer Mean Reimbursement Rates

    State Reimbursement Rates

    State: Alaska1 / 51

    Rate by payer

    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A 58-year-old patient presents to a dermatology clinic with multiple premalignant and benign cutaneous lesions on the forearms and trunk identified during a full skin exam. The provider documents one larger actinic keratosis removed as the first lesion and proceeds to treat multiple additional smaller lesions using cryosurgery and electrosurgery during the same encounter. Each additional lesion beyond the first is counted and reported separately using the add-on destruction code.

    The clinical workflow includes pre-procedure consent and lesion mapping, local anesthesia if indicated, sequential destruction of lesions (chemosurgery, cryosurgery, or electrosurgery), brief hemostasis or topical dressing, and post-procedure instructions for wound care and signs of infection. Documentation specifies the total number of lesions treated, technique(s) used for each lesion, size and anatomic site of lesions, the primary lesion billed with the primary code for first lesion, and itemized units for each subsequent lesion billed with the add-on code 17003 (one unit per lesion for lesions 2–14).

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    17000Destruction (eg, laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), premalignant lesions; first lesionBilled for the first premalignant lesion; units are added for lesions 2–14 during the same encounter

    Related Modifiers

    10 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.,…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    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…
    23Modifier -23 (Unusual Anesthesia) is used on anesthesia service CPT codes when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia…- Use modifier -23 only on anesthesia CPT codes (00100–01999) when a procedure that normally requires no anesthesia or only local anesthesia must be performed under general anesthesia because of…
    95Modifier 95 indicates that a service was provided via synchronous, real‑time audio‑video telehealth rather than in‑person. Per CMS, AAPC and professional associations, append modifier 95 to claim…- Use modifier 95 to indicate a service was furnished via synchronous, real‑time audiovisual telehealth (a live audio‑video conference between patient and provider) rather than in‑person. - Pair…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy CodeSpecialtyNotes
    207N00000XDermatology PhysicianA dermatologist is trained to diagnose and treat pediatric and adult patients with benign and malignant disorders of the skin, mouth, external genital…
    207ND0101XMOHS-Micrographic Surgery PhysicianThe highly-trained surgeons that perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery are specialists both in dermatology and pathology. With their extensive knowledge o…
    207NS0135XProcedural Dermatology PhysicianProcedural Dermatology, a subspecialty of Dermatology, encompassing a wide variety of surgical procedures and methods to remove or modify skin tissue …
    163WE0900XEnterostomal Therapy Registered NurseNursing Service Providers · Registered Nurse
    246QC2700XCytotechnology Specialist/TechnologistTechnologists, Technicians & Other Technical Service Providers · Specialist/Technologist, Pathology
    261QL0400XLithotripsy Clinic/CenterAmbulatory Health Care Facilities · Clinic/Center
    261QM1103XMilitary Ambulatory Procedure Visits Operational (Transportable) Clinic/Center"Non-fixed" facilities or distinct parts of a "non-fixed" facility, providing outpatient surgical procedures requiring medically supervised recovery. …
    156FX1100XOphthalmic Technician/TechnologistAn ophthalmic technician/technologist assists ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions, including administering eye exams, adminis…

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Dermatology1 / 3

    5 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Onychomycosis diagnostic testing and coverageOscar Health2026-10-01
    Topical Acne-Non-Retinoid ProductsCigna2026-08-15
    Dermatology - Vtama Drug Quantity Management Policy - Per DaysCigna2026-08-15
    Medical Necessity Guidelines: Acne and Rosacea Medicationsharvard pilgrim health care2026-08-11
    Winlevi (clascoterone 1% cream) — Topical AcneCigna2026-08-01

    Related Codes

    CPT-17000-DESTRUCTION-FIRST-PREMALIGNANT-LESION

    CPT 17000: Destruction of First or Only Premalignant Lesion

    CPT-17004-DESTRUCTION-15-OR-MORE-PREMALIGNANT-LESIONS

    CPT 17004: Destruction of 15+ Premalignant Lesions

    CPT-17106-LASER-DESTRUCTION-CUTANEOUS-VASCULAR-LESION-LESS-THAN-10CM2

    CPT 17106: Cutaneous Vascular Lesion Destruction (<10 cm2)

    CPT-17107-CUTANEOUS-VASCULAR-LESION-DESTRUCTION-10-50-CM2

    CPT 17107: Cutaneous Vascular Lesion Destruction 10.0–50.0 cm2

    CPT-17108-CUTANEOUS-VASCULAR-DESTRUCTION-GREATER-THAN-50CM2

    CPT 17108: Cutaneous Vascular Lesion Destruction >50 cm2

    CPT-17110-DESTRUCTION-BENIGN-CUTANEOUS-LESIONS-1-TO-14

    CPT 17110: Destruction of 1–14 Benign Skin Lesions

    CPT-17111-DESTRUCTION-BENIGN-SKIN-LESIONS-15-OR-MORE

    CPT 17111: Destruction of 15 or More Benign Skin Lesions

    CPT-17250-CHEMICAL-CAUTERIZATION-GRANULATION-TISSUE

    CPT 17250: Chemical Cauterization of Granulation Tissue

    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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    17003
    17004Destruction Procedures on Benign or Premalignant Lesions of the Integumentary System; 15 or more lesionsUsed when 15 or more lesions are destroyed; supersedes use of multiple 17003 units beyond the 14-lesion range
    17110Destruction (eg, laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery, surgical curettement), of benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular lesions; up to 14 lesionsUsed when treating benign (non-premalignant) lesions up to 14; selection depends on lesion diagnosis and payer guidance
    17111Destruction ... benign lesions other than skin tags or cutaneous vascular lesions; 15 or more lesionsUsed when 15 or more benign lesions are destroyed; alternative to multiple single-lesion codes