CPT 60252 Total Thyroidectomy Benchmarks | OpenPayer

Summary & Overview

CPT 60252: Total or Subtotal Thyroidectomy with Limited Neck Dissection

CPT code 60252 represents a total or near-total thyroidectomy that includes removal of the isthmus, with an integrated limited neck lymph node dissection. This code is used for surgical management of thyroid conditions where more extensive resection and regional lymph node evaluation are required, including suspected or confirmed malignancy. Nationally, 60252 is important because it captures a higher-acuity endocrine surgical service with implications for surgical resource use, postoperative monitoring, and coordination with oncology care.

Key payers included in this analysis are Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise overview of clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, common diagnostic indications driving use of the code, and how the code relates to adjacent procedures. The publication also summarizes payer coverage considerations and common billing elements associated with this service line, and highlights related codes to assist in coding accuracy and claim routing.

This summary is intended for national audiences including surgical practices, hospital revenue teams, and payers seeking clarity on coding for thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection. It provides the foundational context needed for benchmarking, policy review, and clinical coding alignment without state-specific detail.

AetnaBlue Cross Blue ShieldCigna HealthUnitedHealthcareMedicare60252CPTthyroidectomyhead-and-neck-surgerysurgical-oncologythyroid-surgeryinpatient-surgeryoutpatient-surgery

Billing Code Overview

CPT code 60252 describes a surgical procedure involving removal of the entire thyroid or most of the thyroid, including the isthmus, performed in the context of malignancy or extensive disease. The procedure includes a limited neck lymph node dissection performed by the surgical provider as part of the operation.

Service Type: Major surgical procedure — thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection

Typical Site of Service: Hospital inpatient or outpatient surgical center, depending on clinical complexity and need for postoperative observation or inpatient care.

Clinical & Coding Specifications

Clinical Context

A 48-year-old patient presents with a palpable right thyroid nodule, progressive neck fullness, and fine-needle aspiration demonstrating papillary thyroid carcinoma. Preoperative workup includes neck ultrasound showing ipsilateral level II–IV lymphadenopathy and cross-sectional imaging as indicated. The surgical team (head and neck surgeon or surgical oncologist) schedules a total thyroidectomy with limited (selective) neck dissection to remove involved nodal levels while preserving non-involved structures. The perioperative workflow includes preoperative endocrine evaluation, informed consent for thyroidectomy with possible parathyroid exploration, anesthesia evaluation, intraoperative identification and preservation of recurrent laryngeal nerves and parathyroid glands, specimen orientation and labeling for pathology, and postoperative calcium monitoring with appropriate supplementation. Typical postoperative care involves short inpatient observation for airway, voice, and calcium stability, endocrine follow-up for levothyroxine replacement and oncologic surveillance.

Coding Specifications

Modifier	Description	When to Use
`22`	Increased procedural services	Use when intraoperative complexity or extensive additional work beyond usual thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection is documented and justified.
`52`

CPT 60270: Total Thyroidectomy with Mediastinal Extension

CPT-60280-THYROGLOSSAL-DUCT-CYST-EXCISION

CPT 60280: Excision of Thyroglossal Duct Cyst

CPT-60260-COMPLETION-THYROIDECTOMY-REMOVAL-REMAINING-THYROID

CPT 60260: Completion Thyroidectomy, Removal of Remaining Thyroid

CPT-60225-NEAR-TOTAL-THYROIDECTOMY

CPT 60225: Near-Total Thyroidectomy

CPT-60254-TOTAL-OR-NEAR-TOTAL-THYROIDECTOMY-WITH-NECK-DISSECTION

CPT 60254: Total or Near-Total Thyroidectomy with Neck Dissection

CPT-60100-THYROID-CORE-NEEDLE-BIOPSY-IMAGE-GUIDED

CPT 60100: Image-Guided Thyroid Core Needle Biopsy

CPT-60212-PARTIAL-THYROIDECTOMY-ISTHMUSECTOMY

CPT 60212: Partial Thyroidectomy with Isthmusectomy

CPT-60281-SISTRUNK-PROCEDURE-THYROGLOSSAL-DUCT-CYST-EXCISION

CPT 60281: Sistrunk Procedure for Thyroglossal Duct Cyst Excision

CPT-60210-THYROID-PARTIAL-LOBECTOMY-ISTHMUS-OPTIONAL

CPT 60210: Partial Thyroid Lobectomy, Isthmus Optional

CPT-60271-THYROIDECTOMY-SUBSTERNAL-EXTENSION

CPT 60271: Thyroidectomy with Substernal Extension

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Taxonomy Code	Specialty	Notes
`207XS0117X`	Surgical Oncology Physician	Common when thyroid malignancy requires oncologic surgical expertise and neck dissection.
`207XS0106X`	Head and Neck Surgery Physician	Primary specialty for thyroidectomy with focused experience in nerve and parathyroid preservation.
`207K00000X`	Allergy & Immunology Physician	Included in input; not typical operator for this procedure but may be involved in perioperative allergy assessment if documented.

Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code	Description	Clinical Relevance
`C73`	Malignant neoplasm of thyroid gland	Primary oncologic indication for total thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection to remove tumor and involved lymph nodes.
`E04.2`	Nontoxic multinodular goiter	May prompt total or near-total thyroidectomy for symptomatic or obstructive goiter; malignancy must be excluded.
`E05.00`	Thyrotoxicosis with diffuse goiter without thyrotoxic crisis or storm	Hyperthyroid states sometimes necessitate definitive surgical management when medication or radioiodine are contraindicated.
`E06.3`	Autoimmune thyroiditis	May be associated with goiter or suspicious nodules leading to surgical management when indicated.
`E07.9`	Disorder of thyroid, unspecified	Used when a specific thyroid disorder is not otherwise specified but surgical intervention is performed.

Related CPT Codes

CPT Code	Description	Relationship to This Procedure
`60252`	Thyroidectomy, total or subtotal for malignancy; with limited neck dissection	Primary procedure described: total thyroid removal performed for malignancy with limited (selective) neck dissection.
`60512`	Parathyroidectomy or exploration of parathyroid(s); re‑implantation	Related procedure that may be performed concurrently if a parathyroid gland is devascularized or requires autotransplantation during thyroidectomy.

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