CPT
10060 — Incision and drainage of abscess, simple
If just one abscess and simple drainage, 10060 is the correct code.
Dermatology
11600 — Excision malignant lesion, trunk/arms/legs; 0.5 cm or less excised diameter
This is the baseline code for surgical removal of a confirmed or clinically suspected malignant skin lesion — such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma — on the trunk, arms, or legs when the e...
- Typical setting: Dermatology clinic, hospital
- National avg charge (illustrative): $130-$260 Medicare allowed (approx. $140-$220 national Medicare average; higher than benign excision codes due to greater complexity and margin requirements)
- Most-disputed reason: Benign vs. malignant code confusion: billing malignant excision codes (11600-11606) without pathology confirmation of malignancy — if the lesion turns out benign, the bill should be corrected to 11400-11406 family
What it means
What 11600 actually means
This is the baseline code for surgical removal of a confirmed or clinically suspected malignant skin lesion — such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma — on the trunk, arms, or legs when the excised diameter is 0.5 centimeters or smaller. This code family (11600-11606) includes removal of adequate margins to treat the cancer.
Common errors with this code
What goes wrong on real bills.
Most bills that look correct still contain at least one of these issues. Up to 49% of medical bills contain errors (CFPB).
- Benign vs. malignant code confusion: billing malignant excision codes (11600-11606) without pathology confirmation of malignancy — if the lesion turns out benign, the bill should be corrected to 11400-11406 family
- Size inflation: billing a larger excision size code than supported by the pathology report's measured specimen diameter
- Mohs surgery unbundling: for skin cancers treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (17311-17315), standard excision codes cannot be billed — these are mutually exclusive billing approaches
If you see 11600 on your bill
Three steps before paying.
1. Get the itemized bill. If your statement only shows a summary, request the CPT-level itemized bill before paying. Generate the request language →
2. Cross-check against the EOB. Compare what your insurer's Explanation of Benefits says you owe versus what the hospital is asking. They disagree more often than people think. Read the bill-vs-EOB guide →
3. Run a free Bill Scan. Upload the bill (and EOB if you have it) and BillBusted will flag the most likely issues with this specific code in your specific state. Run free scan →
Related codes
Other codes in this category.
People who land on 11600 often also see these adjacent codes on the same bill.
CPT
11042 — Debridement, subcutaneous tissue; first 20 sq cm or less
Verify the code matches the actual service and dose.
CPT
11102 — Skin biopsy, tangential (single lesion)
First biopsy at full price; additional biopsies use add-on codes (11103).
CPT
11104 — Punch biopsy of skin; single lesion
Verify the code matches the actual service and dose.
CPT
11106 — Incisional biopsy of skin; single lesion
Verify the code matches the actual service and dose.
CPT
11400 — Excision benign lesion, except skin tag, trunk/arms/legs; 0.5 cm or less
Verify the code matches the actual service and dose.
Related BillBusted guides
Plain-English reads if you see 11600 on a bill.
11600 FAQ
Plain-English answers.
What does 11600 usually cost?
$130-$260 Medicare allowed (approx. $140-$220 national Medicare average; higher than benign excision codes due to greater complexity and margin requirements). Costs vary by region, payer contract, and whether the service was performed in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a facility fee) versus a free-standing clinic.
What's the most common billing error on 11600?
Benign vs. malignant code confusion: billing malignant excision codes (11600-11606) without pathology confirmation of malignancy — if the lesion turns out benign, the bill should be corrected to 11400-11406 family
What should I do if I see 11600 on my bill?
Request the itemized bill and the matching EOB from your insurer. Compare the units/quantity billed against what you actually received. Run a free BillBusted scan to flag the most likely errors specific to 11600 before paying.
Don't pay 11600 blindly.
The free scan tells you in under 60 seconds whether this charge looks reasonable for your situation.