Summary & Overview

CPT 17282: Destruction of Malignant Lesion on Face, 1.1–2.0 cm

CPT code 17282 covers destruction of a malignant cutaneous or mucosal lesion on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membrane when the lesion measures 1.1 cm to 2.0 cm in diameter. This procedural code is used to document and bill for ablative treatments—such as chemosurgery, cryosurgery, and electrosurgery—applied to malignant lesions in cosmetically and functionally sensitive anatomic locations. Nationally, accurate coding for these procedures affects clinical tracking, quality reporting, and payment for outpatient dermatologic and minor surgical services.

Key payers discussed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers can expect a concise overview of the code’s clinical scope and service context, typical sites of service, and the common payer landscape relevant to reimbursement and coverage considerations. The publication also summarizes benchmarking opportunities, common billing modifiers reported with this code (input provided), and clinical context for lesion size thresholds that determine code selection.

Data not available in the input for associated taxonomies, specific ICD-10 diagnoses, related codes, and detailed payer-specific policies. The piece is written for a national audience and presents the core clinical and billing meaning of CPT code 17282 alongside the payers most commonly involved in coverage and payment for this service.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare17282CPTdestruction-of-malignant-lesiondermatologic-surgeryoutpatient-procedurecryosurgeryelectrosurgerychemosurgery

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 17282 describes destruction of a malignant lesion located on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membrane using techniques such as chemosurgery, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, or other destructive methods. The code applies when the lesion measures 1.1 cm to 2.0 cm in diameter.

Service type: Destruction of malignant lesion (cutaneous/mucosal) using destructive modalities
Typical site of service: Ambulatory surgical center, physician office, or other outpatient setting where minor surgical procedures on the face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes are performed

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 68-year-old patient presents to an outpatient dermatology clinic with a biopsy-confirmed basal cell carcinoma located on the lateral nose. The lesion measures approximately 1.5 cm in greatest diameter. After informed consent and pre-procedure assessment, the dermatologic surgeon performs destruction of the malignant cutaneous lesion using cryosurgery and electrosurgical curettage in a procedure room. Local anesthesia is administered. The procedure is documented with lesion location, size (1.5 cm), technique(s) used (cryosurgery and electrosurgery), estimated blood loss (minimal), and post-procedure wound care instructions. Billing is submitted using 17282 for destruction of a malignant lesion on the face measuring 1.1 cm to 2.0 cm in diameter. Typical sites of service include outpatient dermatology clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and physician office procedure rooms. A common clinical workflow includes lesion evaluation and biopsy, pathology confirmation of malignancy, pre-procedure counseling and consent, procedural destruction with documentation of size and technique, and follow-up for wound assessment and pathology correlation if biopsy specimens were retained.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`LT`	Left side	When the lesion is located on the patient's left anatomically distinct site (e.g., left cheek).

Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
207W00000X	Dermatology	Dermatologists most commonly perform malignant lesion destruction on the face and mucous membranes.
208D00000X	Dermatopathology	Dermatopathologists provide diagnostic confirmation from biopsy specimens guiding treatment plans.
207P00000X	Otolaryngology (ENT)	ENT surgeons may treat malignant lesions on the nose, lips, and mucosal surfaces in complex anatomic locations.
207L00000X	Plastic Surgery	Plastic surgeons frequently treat facial malignancies when reconstruction or complex excisions are anticipated.
208000000X	General Surgery	General surgeons may perform lesion destruction in certain settings or when coordinating multidisciplinary care.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C44.311`	Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of right upper eyelid, including canthus	Squamous cell carcinomas on facial sites are commonly treated with destructive modalities when appropriate.
`C44.312`	Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of left upper eyelid, including canthus	Laterality-specific code for lesions on eyelids treated with `17282` when lesion size fits code descriptor.
`C44.319`	Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of unspecified eyelid, including canthus	Used when laterality is not specified but site is eyelid for malignant lesion destruction.
`C44.31`	Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of eyelid	Parent category representing malignant lesions of eyelid appropriate for topical or destructive therapies.
`C44.92`	Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin, other part of face	General face-site code when specific subsite coding is appropriate for billing `17282`.
`C44.3`	Malignant neoplasm of skin of other and unspecified parts of face	Broad category used to capture malignant facial lesions treated with destruction.
`D04.9`	Carcinoma in situ of skin, unspecified	In some clinical contexts carcinoma in situ may be managed with destruction techniques when appropriate.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`11102`	Tangential biopsy of lesion, single lesion	Performed prior to `17282` when an initial biopsy is required to confirm malignancy.
`11107`	Tangential biopsy, each additional lesion (list separately in addition to primary)	Used when multiple suspicious lesions were biopsied before definitive destructive therapy.
`17000`	Destruction (e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery) of premalignant lesion (actinic keratosis), first lesion	May be billed in the same episode for premalignant lesions; distinguishes benign/premalignant from malignant codes like `17282`.
`11642`	Excision, malignant lesion including margins, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; excised diameter 1.1 cm to 2.0 cm	Alternative definitive excisional treatment to `17282` when surgical removal with margins is chosen instead of destruction.
`99024`	Postoperative follow-up visit, normally included, subsequent after surgery	Used for routine follow-up wound checks after the destructive procedure when payer allows billing.
`99070`	Supplies and materials (e.g., bandages, sterile supplies)	Billed when non-routine supplies are provided that are not included in the procedure allowance.