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CPT 97602: Non-selective Wound Debridement
Headline: CPT code 97602: Non-selective wound debridement, reported per session
Lead: CPT code 97602 identifies non-selective removal of dead tissue from wounds to assess depth, lower infection risk, and promote healing. The code is used nationally across outpatient and ambulatory settings and is reported per debridement session.
What this code represents and why it matters: CPT code 97602 captures non-selective debridement procedures that are a core component of wound management. Accurate coding affects clinical documentation, care planning, and payment for wound care services delivered in clinics, wound centers, and emergency departments. Because debridement can influence healing trajectories and infection prevention, correct reporting is important for clinical continuity and administrative tracking.
Key payers covered in this analysis: Aetna; Blue Cross Blue Shield; Cigna Health; UnitedHealthcare; and Medicare.
What readers will learn: This publication provides benchmarks and practical policy context for CPT code 97602, including clinical scope and typical sites of service, comparisons to selective debridement codes, and common billing and reporting considerations. Readers will find concise explanations of when CPT code 97602 is used, how it differs from related debridement codes, and the implications for coding and reimbursement across major national payers.
Intended audience: coders, clinicians involved in wound care, revenue cycle professionals, and policy analysts seeking a national overview of this CPT wound debridement code.
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Billing Code Overview
CPT code 97602 describes a non-selective wound debridement procedure in which the provider removes dead tissue from a wound without differentiating between viable and nonviable tissues. The service facilitates assessment of wound depth, reduces infection risk, and supports wound healing. It is reported per debridement session and typically includes provision of wound care instructions to the patient.
Service Type: Non-selective wound debridement
Typical Site of Service: Outpatient clinic, wound care center, emergency department, or other ambulatory settings where wound assessment and debridement are provided
National Reimbursement Benchmarks
Commercial rates for CPT 97602 cluster around BUCA’s average commercial benchmark of $126.10, with notable variation among national payers. Blue Cross Blue Shield shows the highest dispersion (P75 $200.80 minus P25 $131.60 = $69.20), indicating broader contracted outcomes, while Aetna exhibits a tighter spread (P75 $83.30 minus P25 $22.40 = $60.90) relative to BCBS. Cigna’s interquartile spread is $60.70 (P75 $105.60 minus P25 $45.30), and UnitedHealth Group’s spread is the narrowest at $31.00 (P75 $90.70 minus P25 $59.70), signaling more concentrated reimbursement levels.
Median and mean contrasts highlight payer positioning around BUCA’s mean: Blue Cross Blue Shield and Aetna have medians above and below BUCA’s $126.10 benchmark respectively, while Cigna and UnitedHealth Group medians sit below BUCA’s mean, reflecting variation in central tendency across payers. P90 values further separate the higher-end ceilings, with BCBS ($236.10) and UnitedHealth Group ($171.80) extending above other payers.