ICD-9 238.2 is a legacy non-billable code used to specify a medical diagnosis of neoplasm of uncertain behavior of skin. This code was replaced on September 30, 2015 by its ICD-10 equivalent.
Short description: Unc behav neo skin. ICD-9-CM 238.2 is a billable medical code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis on a reimbursement claim, however, 238.2 should only be used for claims with a date of service on or before September 30, 2015.
The ICD-9-CM Official Coding Guidelines, chapter 2: Neoplasms (140-239), explain: “To properly code a neoplasm it is necessary to determine from the record [specifically, the pathology report] if the neoplasm is benign, in-situ, malignant, or of uncertain histologic behavior.
ICD-9-CM 238.2 is a billable medical code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis on a reimbursement claim, however, 238.2 should only be used for claims with a date of service on or before September 30, 2015.
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When the behavior of a tumor cannot be predicted through pathology, it is called a neoplasm of uncertain behavior. These are neoplasms which are currently benign but have characteristics that make it possible for the tumor to become malignant.
uncertain behavior is a dx that is rendered by the pathologist when the cellular activity observed is uncertain at to its morphology. Unspecified is sometimes called a working dx, and is used when a preliminary diagnostic workup is inconclusive, most commonly used when the decision comes back as a tumor.
86.3 Other local excision or destruction of lesion or tissue of skin and subcuta - ICD-9-CM Vol.
ICD-10 Code for Neoplasm of uncertain behavior, unspecified- D48. 9- Codify by AAPC.
A skin neoplasm is an unusual growth on your skin. The word neoplasm is sometimes used interchangeably with cancer, but neoplasms can also be noncancerous. You might also hear neoplasms referred to as tumors. The cells in your skin grow and divide as needed.
5 Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of skin should only be used when the pathologist cannot determine if a neoplasm is benign or malignant. It is a specific code to be utilized after a histologic determination has been made, not a code to be used at the time the sample is obtained.
k. Code C80. 1, Malignant (primary) neoplasm, unspecified, equates to Cancer, unspecified. This code should only be used when no determination can be made as to the primary site of a malignancy. This code should rarely be used in the inpatient setting.
Listen to pronunciation. (NEE-oh-PLA-zum) An abnormal mass of tissue that forms when cells grow and divide more than they should or do not die when they should. Neoplasms may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer).
ICD-10 Code for Disorder of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, unspecified- L98. 9- Codify by AAPC.
ICD-10 code: L98. 9 Disorder of skin and subcutaneous tissue, unspecified.
ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code B08 B08.
CPT ® provides different code sets to report excision of benign (11400-11471) and malignant (11600-11646) skin lesions/neoplasms. The codes within each set are differentiated broadly by site (for example, trunk and arms or legs vs. scalp, neck, hands, feet, and genitalia). A quick review is all you need to familiarize yourself with the code organization. Be sure to read the CPT ® guidelines in the section carefully.#N#Most important: Accurate lesion and margin measurements allow for complete and appropriate coding.#N#CPT ® instructions define the excised lesion diameter as the “greatest clinical diameter of the apparent lesion plus that margin required for complete excision.” This is equal to the greatest lesion size, plus twice the size of the narrowest margin (the length of the incision used to remove the lesion is not a factor). Note: Base your coding on measurements documented prior to excision (rather than taken from the pathology report, for instance).#N#For example, a physician removes a lesion from a patient’s nose along the supra-alar crease. The lesion measures at 1.5 cm at its widest point and there is an allowance of 1.0 cm margin on all sides. The pathology report later confirms the lesion as benign.#N#To calculate, consider the narrowest margin (1.0 cm) x 2 = 2 cm. Add this figure to the widest measurement of the lesion (1.5 cm) for a 3.5 cm total. Based on the location of the lesion (nose) and the total measurement (3.5 cm), the correct code is 11444 Excision, other benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, mucous membrane; excised diameter 3.1 to 4.0 cm.#N#CPT ® codes are based on centimeters, so if the physician reports the lesion’s diameter in millimeters, you must convert the measurements (for instance, 1 mm = 0.1 cm). Please notice that some codes are reported in centimeters and others are in square centimeter measurements (0.16 sq in = 1 sq cm).#N#Note: There are plenty of websites (such as www.asknumbers.com) that allow you to easily perform these mathematical conversions online.#N#For example, if a physician documents a benign lesion excision of the upper arm that is 5 mm in diameter (including margins), this converts to 0.5 cm for CPT ® coding accuracy and is reported with 11400 Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 0.5 cm or less.
The number one rule of neoplasm coding is, “report only what documentation confirms.”. Coding a neoplasm diagnosis requires a pathology report—even if the physician knows what kind of neoplasm it is without one.
A primary malignancy is the area (site) where a cancer begins to grow. A secondary malignancy is one that has spread from the primary site to other parts of the body (for instance, primary lung cancer may spread to bone, and the secondary cancer in the bone will be made up of lung cells).
These are early-stage tumors that may, however, evolve into invasive malignancies. Neoplasms not indentified specifically as malignant may be benign (free of cancer) or of uncertain behavior (for instance, showing indications of atypia or dysplasia). Uncertain behavior does not indicate “unknown” or “unspecified;” an uncertain (or benign) ...
However, if the histological term is documented, that term should be referenced first, rather than going immediately to the Neoplasm Table, in order to determine which column in the Neoplasm Table is appropriate.”.
There is one exception to this rule: If a lesion is destroyed with lasers, chemicals, or other methods (such as cryosurgery), a pathology report will not be ordered and the physician’s documentation may be used.
238.8 is a legacy non-billable code used to specify a medical diagnosis of neoplasm of uncertain behavior of other specified sites. This code was replaced on September 30, 2015 by its ICD-10 equivalent.
238 Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of other and unspecified sites and tissues
The ICD-9 and ICD-10 GEMs are used to facilitate linking between the diagnosis codes in ICD-9-CM and the new ICD-10-CM code set. The GEMs are the raw material from which providers, health information vendors and payers can derive specific applied mappings to meet their needs.
A primary malignant neoplasm that overlaps two or more contiguous (next to each other) sites should be classified to the subcategory/code .8 ('overlapping lesion'), unless the combination is specifically indexed elsewhere.
Functional activity. All neoplasms are classified in this chapter, whether they are functionally active or not. An additional code from Chapter 4 may be used, to identify functional activity associated with any neoplasm. Morphology [Histology]
The Table of Neoplasms should be used to identify the correct topography code. In a few cases, such as for malignant melanoma and certain neuroendocrine tumors, the morphology (histologic type) is included in the category and codes. Primary malignant neoplasms overlapping site boundaries.