One in five medically necessary breast reductions gets denied, and the number doing the denying is the Schnur scale. Here’s how each payer sets the bar.

Running plastic surgery billing in-house isn’t one hire — it’s a full revenue-cycle system. Here’s the whole machine, end to end.

In-house or outsourced plastic surgery billing — the real trade isn’t cost. It’s who owns your AR, your follow-up, and your denials.

On January 1, 2026, Medicare cut skin substitute pay ~90% to a flat $127.14/cm². What survives for plastic surgery and dermatology — and what doesn’t.

The Core Problem: One Code, Many Techniques The technique changes depending on the patient. The CPT code doesn’t. For top surgery — augmentation, reduction, mastectomy with nipple reconstruction — reimbursement is tied to the standard diagnosis for that procedure type. A reduction for macromasty and a reduction for masculinization carry the same code, same reimbursement, […]

In plastic surgery billing, accounts receivable, often referred to as AR, rarely deteriorates overnight. More often, AR slowly drifts. Denials increase, aging stretches out, cash flow tightens, and leadership assumes it is a payer issue. AR is a slow burn… once you notice a fire is it often too late or at least you’ve lost […]

CPT 15877 Overview Procedure: Suction-assisted lipectomy (liposuction) of the trunkCategory: Integumentary system – Other Repair (Closure)Typical Use: Liposuction of abdomen, flanks, or backGlobal Period: 90 daysCommon Modifiers: 59, 51, 22, 50, 52 What Is CPT 15877? CPT code 15877 describes suction-assisted lipectomy of the trunk, the medical term for liposuction of areas like the abdomen, […]

If you code or bill for reconstructive or plastic surgery procedures, accuracy can make or break your claims.  CPT 15832, excision of excessive skin and subcutaneous tissue (includes lipectomy); thigh, is one of those codes that looks simple but requires precision to document and bill correctly. This guide from The Auctus Group breaks down CPT […]

CPT 15830: Complete Guide to Billing CPT 15830 is the code for the removal of excessive abdominal skin and fat below the belly button, known as an infraumbilical panniculectomy.  This procedure is often performed after significant weight loss or when an abdominal pannus causes medical issues such as infections, rashes, or difficulty with mobility. Insurers […]

CPT 15839: What You Need to Know If you work in medical billing or run a practice that offers plastic or reconstructive surgery, you’ve probably come across CPT 15839.  And like most CPT codes, it’s more than just numbers, getting it right can mean the difference between reimbursement and denial.  Here’s a complete breakdown of […]