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Autologous fat grafting (15771, 15772) to the breast is covered by federal law after mastectomy and non-covered for cosmetic augmentation. The diagnosis linkage decides which.

Rhinoplasty (30400-30420) and nasal valve repair (30465) are cosmetic by default. A documented collapse, a positive Cottle, and a failed drug trial move them to covered.

Skin tag removal (CPT 11200/11201) is cosmetic by default — 85% of denials are medical-necessity failures. The symptoms and the ICD-10 code are what flip it to covered.

Dermatology billing costs 4-9% of collections in 2026. The hidden payroll across five seats, the contract terms that matter, and why the net beats the fee.

Brow ptosis repair (CPT 67900) is covered when the brow sits below the supraorbital rim with a ≤30° superior visual-field loss that improves on elevation — not for a cosmetic brow lift.

A benchmark from 20,000+ plastic surgery claims: payers delay far more than they deny and cause about twice the problems practices do.

Botox for hyperhidrosis (CPT 64650 axillae, 64653 other) is covered after prescription antiperspirants fail — plus the J0585 units and the 600-unit/90-day cap.

Nasal valve repair has two codes — spreader graft (30465) vs lateral-wall implant (30468) — and a positive Cottle sign with failed medical therapy is what makes it covered.

Billing for a new dermatology practice: the 90-120 day credentialing clock, what outsourcing costs during the ramp, and the day-one setup order.

Lymphedema takes the feet; lipedema spares them. That one sign, plus lipedema’s missing ICD-10 code, shapes every liposuction (15877-15879) coverage fight.