2025 CPT code 16030
Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Surgery - Surgical Procedures on the Integumentary System Feed
Dressing and/or debridement of partial-thickness burns, initial or subsequent; large (e.g., more than one extremity, or greater than 10% total body surface area).
Modifiers may be applicable depending on circumstances (e.g., 59 for distinct procedural services).Refer to current CPT guidelines.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of a partial-thickness burn requiring debridement and dressing to promote healing and prevent infection.
The physician cleans the burn with antiseptic, removes blisters and dead tissue (debridement), and applies appropriate dressings.This promotes healing and prevents infection.
In simple words: This code covers cleaning, removing dead skin and blisters, and bandaging a large second-degree burn.A large burn is one that covers more than one limb or more than 10% of the body.
This code refers to the treatment of large partial-thickness burns, including dressing and/or debridement."Large" is defined as covering more than one extremity or exceeding 10% of the total body surface area. The code applies to both initial and subsequent treatments.
Example 1: A patient presents with second-degree burns covering 15% of their body.The physician debrides the wound and applies dressings.Code 16030 is used., A patient with existing second-degree burns on both arms receives a subsequent dressing change. Code 16030 is used., A patient has a second-degree burn on one leg (less than 10% TBSA). The physician debrides and dresses the burn. Code 16025 would be more appropriate as it covers a smaller area.
Documentation must include the total body surface area (TBSA) affected by the burn, the depth of the burn (partial-thickness), and a description of the debridement and dressing procedures performed.
- Revenue Code: P6A
- Specialties:Burn care, general surgery, emergency medicine, plastic surgery
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital,Ambulatory Surgical Center,Military Treatment Facility, Skilled Nursing Facility, Nursing Facility, Rural Health Clinic, and other places where burn care is provided.