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    v1.0.30
    OpenPayerBilling CodesExcision and Destruction Procedures on the Palate and UvulaCPT cpt-42160-palate-uvula-lesion-destruction
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    CPT 42160: Destruction of Lesion on Palate or Uvula

    Medicare pays $241 on average nationally for this procedure.

    CPT code 42160 describes destruction of a lesion on the palate or uvula using techniques such as laser or cryotherapy; the service is an outpatient procedural lesion destruction typically performed in an ambulatory surgery center, hospital outpatient department, or office-based procedure setting and involves local or monitored anesthesia as indicated for palatal or uvular tissue ablation.

    For related coverage guidance, see recent payer policy updates: Dental Anesthesia Services, Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an Adult, General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation Services.

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    Clinical & Coding Specifications

    Clinical Context

    A typical patient is an adult presenting to an otolaryngology clinic with a symptomatic mucosal lesion on the soft palate or uvula, such as a benign papilloma, leukoplakic patch, small vascular lesion, or recurrent HPV-related lesion. The clinical workflow begins with history and focused oral/ oropharyngeal exam, documentation of lesion size, location, and symptoms (dysphagia, foreign-body sensation, throat clearing, snoring, or minor bleeding). Imaging is rarely required for isolated superficial palatal/uvular lesions. After informed consent, the patient is placed in a procedure room or ambulatory surgery center; topical or local anesthesia with or without sedation is administered depending on lesion size and patient tolerance. The provider then destroys the lesion using laser ablation (e.g., CO2 or KTP) or cryotherapy, ensuring hemostasis and sending tissue for pathology when indicated (biopsy vs. destructive procedure without specimen). Post-procedure instructions include oral hygiene, analgesia, and return precautions for bleeding or airway compromise. Typical site of service: outpatient procedure room, ambulatory surgery center, or office-based ENT clinic with laser/cryotherapy capability. Service type: minor surgical destruction/ablative procedure of palatal or uvular mucosal lesion performed by otolaryngology or oral surgery providers under local, topical, or monitored anesthesia care.

    Related CPT Codes

    CPT CodeDescriptionRelationship to This Procedure
    31231Diagnostic nasal endoscopy, with or without flexible or rigid endoscope; with biopsy, polypectomy or other intranasal procedures, single or multiplePerformed prior to palatal/uvular procedures when nasal/oropharyngeal assessment and biopsy are required.
    42340Excision of lesion of tongue, floor of mouth, or cheek; single lesion, benignUsed when an excisional approach is chosen instead of ablative destruction for palatal lesions that require removal with specimen.
    42315Biopsy, oral mucosa (e.g., palate, lip), singleUsed when a biopsy specimen is obtained prior to or during the procedure for histopathologic diagnosis.
    45380Flexible sigmoidoscopy; diagnostic, including collection of specimen by brushing or washing (not typically related)Data not available in the input.
    99152Moderate sedation services provided by the same physician performing the procedure (used for children younger than 5 years) (not in list)Typically billed when monitored anesthesia care or sedation accompanies the ablative procedure.

    Related Modifiers

    10 rows

    ModifierDescriptionWhen to Use
    26Modifier 26 (Professional Component) identifies and bills only the professional portion of a split service — the physician’s interpretation, report, and medical judgment — when the technical…- Use CPT Modifier -26 when you are billing only the professional component (PC) of a split‑bill eligible service—i.e., you performed the physician interpretation, medical judgment and prepared 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…
    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…
    47Modifier -47 (“Anesthesia by Surgeon”) is appended to a surgical or procedural CPT code when the surgeon personally provides regional or general anesthesia for the procedure. Use of -47 indicates the…- Use modifier -47 when the surgeon personally provides regional or general anesthesia during the surgical procedure (i.e., the surgeon administers the anesthesia in addition to performing the…
    62Modifier 62 indicates that two surgeons function as co‑surgeons, each performing distinct parts of the same primary surgical procedure. It is appended to the primary procedure code (and any…- Use modifier -62 when two surgeons act as co‑surgeons (both primary surgeons) on a single definitive primary procedure, each performing distinct parts of the same surgical procedure (append -62 to…
    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…
    78CPT modifier -78 indicates an unplanned, related return to the operating or procedure room by the same provider during the global postoperative period. It is appended when treatment for a…- Use modifier -78 when an unplanned, related complication during the original procedure’s global postoperative period requires the patient to return to a formal operating or procedure room and the…
    79Modifier 79 indicates a surgical procedure performed during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery that is unrelated to the original procedure. Per AMA/CPT and CMS guidance, it is…- Use modifier 79 when the same physician (or same‑specialty physician in the same group) performs a surgical procedure during the postoperative global period of a prior surgery and the new procedure…

    Related Provider Taxonomies

    8 rows

    Taxonomy Code
    207Y00000X
    207L00000X
    208D00000X
    2279H0200X
    207RT0003X
    207QA0401X
    246W00000X
    2084F0202X

    Related ICD-10-CM Codes

    26 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    A60.9Anogenital herpesviral infection, unspecified
    B34.9Viral infection, unspecified
    B97.89Other viral agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere
    C09.9Malignant neoplasm of tonsil, unspecified
    C10.9Malignant neoplasm of oropharynx, unspecified
    C11.9Malignant neoplasm of nasopharynx, unspecified
    D10.2Benign neoplasm of floor of mouth
    D14.2Benign neoplasm of trachea
    D21.9Benign neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue, unspecified
    D36.0Benign neoplasm of lymph nodes

    Showing 1–10 of 26

    Related Payer Policy Updates

    Specialty: Anesthesiology1 / 3

    10 rows

    PolicyPayerEffective Date
    Dental Anesthesia ServicesProvidence Health Plan2026-10-01
    Anesthesia Services for Interventional Pain Management Procedures in an AdultCigna2026-09-15
    General Anesthesia and Conscious Sedation ServicesUnitedHealthcare2026-09-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Intravenous Anesthetics for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Psychiatric or Substance Use DisordersPremera Bluecross2026-07-01
    Elective Inpatient Services (for Idaho Only)UnitedHealthcare2026-06-01
    Sites of Servicepriority health2026-06-01
    Coverage for Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU)/Outpatient Facility and Anesthesia for Dental Servicesuniverahealthcare2026-05-21

    Related Codes

    CPT-42100-PALATE-UVULA-TISSUE-REMOVAL-PATHOLOGY

    CPT 42100: Excision of Palate or Uvula Tissue for Pathology

    CPT-42104-PALATE-UVULA-LESION-EXCISION-NO-CLOSURE

    CPT 42104: Excision of Lesion from Palate or Uvula, No Closure

    CPT-42106-PALATE-UVULA-LESION-EXCISION-SIMPLE-REPAIR

    CPT 42106: Excision of Lesion, Palate or Uvula; Simple Repair

    CPT-42107-PALATE-UVULA-LESION-EXCISION-LOCAL-FLAP

    CPT 42107: Excision of Palate or Uvula Lesion with Local Flap Closure

    CPT-42120-PALATAL-LESION-RESECTION-WIDE-AREA

    CPT 42120: Wide Resection of Palatal/Oral Lesion

    CPT-42140-UVULOPALATOPHARYNGOPLASTY-UVULA-REMOVAL

    CPT 42140: Uvula Removal for Snoring

    CPT-42145-PALATOPHARYNGOPLASTY-UVULOPALATOPHARYNGOPLASTY

    CPT 42145: Palatopharyngoplasty for Oropharyngeal Airway Widening

    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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