CPT code 10060

What does CPT code 10060 mean on a medical bill?

This is the charge for draining an abscess or infected pocket: the doctor numbs the area, opens it, and lets it drain. It is the simpler version of the procedure, and there is a higher-paying code for complicated or multiple drainages, so which one shows up on your bill matters. It is billed on top of the visit level. Packing, dressings, and a return visit to pull the packing out can each become their own charge.

What does CPT code 10060 usually cost?

Billed as a procedure on top of the emergency room visit, and often twice over: once by the hospital for the room and supplies, once by the doctor who did it. Any follow-up visit to remove packing is a new charge.

What should I watch out for with CPT code 10060?

• The complicated version billed when the note describes one simple abscess opened and drained
• Two drainage lines for one abscess
• A follow-up packing removal billed as a full new visit rather than a wound check