Date Posted: 04/30/2025
Starting Aug. 1, 2025, the new codes will require preauthorization when performed in an outpatient hospital setting, places of service (POS) 19 and 22 for members under 75 years of age.
Note: Preauthorization will not be required for members 75 years of age or older or when performed in a physician’s office (POS 11) or ambulatory surgery center (POS 24).
In addition, we are adding a few new codes, expanding some preauthorization requirements to additional members, and removing over 300 services and codes from the Preauthorization List.
All affected services and codes are listed in the tables below.
Codes Added to Preauthorization List with Site of Service Requirements Starting Aug. 1, 2025
CPT/HCPCS Code | CPT Code Description |
---|---|
11400 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 0.5 cm or less |
11401 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 0.6 to 1.0 cm |
11403 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 2.1 to 3.0 cm |
11404 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), trunk, arms or legs; excised diameter 3.1 to 4.0 cm |
11420 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; excised diameter 0.5 cm or less |
11422 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; excised diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm |
11423 |
Excision, benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; excised diameter 2.1 to 3.0 cm |
11441 |
Excision, other benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, mucous membrane; excised diameter 0.6 to 1.0 cm |
11443 |
Excision, other benign lesion including margins, except skin tag (unless listed elsewhere), face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips, mucous membrane; excised diameter 2.1 to 3.0 cm |
11602 |
Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs; excised diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm |
11604 |
Excision, malignant lesion including margins, trunk, arms, or legs; excised diameter 3.1 to 4.0 cm |
11622 |
Excision, malignant lesion including margins, scalp, neck, hands, feet, genitalia; excised diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm |
11750 |
Excision of nail and nail matrix, partial or complete (e.g., ingrown or deformed nail), for permanent removal; |
11772 |
Excision of pilonidal cyst or sinus; complicated |
12031 |
Repair, intermediate, wounds of scalp, axillae, trunk and/or extremities (excluding hands and feet); 2.5 cm or less |
12032 |
Repair, intermediate, wounds of scalp, axillae, trunk and/or extremities (excluding hands and feet); 2.6 cm to 7.5 cm |
13131 |
Repair, complex, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, axillae, genitalia, hands and/or feet; 1.1 cm to 2.5 cm |
13152 |
Repair, complex, eyelids, nose, ears and/or lips; 2.6 cm to 7.5 cm |
14040 |
Adjacent tissue transfer or rearrangement, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, neck, axillae, genitalia, hands and/or feet; defect 10 sq cm or less |
14060 |
Adjacent tissue transfer or rearrangement, eyelids, nose, ears and/or lips; defect 10 sq cm or less |
15733 |
Muscle, myocutaneous, or fasciocutaneous flap; head and neck with named vascular pedicle (i.e., buccinators, genioglossus, temporalis, masseter, sternocleidomastoid, levator scapulae) |
15740 |
Flap; island pedicle requiring identification and dissection of an anatomically named axial vessel |
19120 |
Excision of cyst, fibroadenoma, or other benign or malignant tumor, aberrant breast tissue, duct lesion, nipple or areolar lesion (except 19300), open, male or female, 1 or more lesions |
19125 |
Excision of breast lesion identified by preoperative placement of radiological marker, open; single lesion |
19307 |
Mastectomy, modified radical, including axillary lymph nodes, with or without pectoralis minor muscle, but excluding pectoralis major muscle |
20680 |
Removal of implant; deep (e.g., buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate) |
20694 |
Removal, under anesthesia, of external fixation system |
21012 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of face or scalp, subcutaneous; 2 cm or greater |
21013 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of face and scalp, subfascial (e.g., subgaleal, intramuscular); less than 2 cm |
21014 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of face and scalp, subfascial (e.g., subgaleal, intramuscular); 2 cm or greater |
21315 |
Closed treatment of nasal bone fracture with manipulation; without stabilization |
21555 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of neck or anterior thorax, subcutaneous; less than 3 cm |
21556 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of neck or anterior thorax, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); less than 5 cm |
21931 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of back or flank, subcutaneous; 3 cm or greater |
23071 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of shoulder area, subcutaneous; 3 cm or greater |
23472 |
Arthroplasty, glenohumeral joint; total shoulder (glenoid and proximal humeral replacement (e.g., total shoulder)) |
24071 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of upper arm or elbow area, subcutaneous; 3 cm or greater |
24105 |
Excision, olecranon bursa |
25000 |
Incision, extensor tendon sheath, wrist (e.g., deQuervains disease) |
25073 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of forearm and/or wrist area, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); 3 cm or greater |
25075 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of forearm and/or wrist area, subcutaneous; less than 3 cm |
25076 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of forearm and/or wrist area, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); less than 3 cm |
25607 |
Open treatment of distal radial extra-articular fracture or epiphyseal separation, with internal fixation |
25608 |
Open treatment of distal radial intra-articular fracture or epiphyseal separation; with internal fixation of 2 fragments |
26055 |
Tendon sheath incision (e.g., for trigger finger) |
26116 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue, or vascular malformation, of hand or finger, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); less than 1.5 cm |
26160 |
Excision of lesion of tendon sheath or joint capsule (e.g., cyst, mucous cyst, or ganglion), hand or finger |
26540 |
Repair of collateral ligament, metacarpophalangeal or interphalangeal joint |
26615 |
Open treatment of metacarpal fracture, single, includes internal fixation, when performed, each bone |
26650 |
Percutaneous skeletal fixation of carpometacarpal fracture dislocation, thumb (Bennett fracture), with manipulation |
26727 |
Percutaneous skeletal fixation of unstable phalangeal shaft fracture, proximal or middle phalanx, finger or thumb, with manipulation, each |
26951 |
Amputation, finger or thumb, primary or secondary, any joint or phalanx, single, including neurectomies; with direct closure |
27337 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of thigh or knee area, subcutaneous; 3 cm or greater |
27339 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of thigh or knee area, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); 5 cm or greater |
27446 |
Arthroplasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial OR lateral compartment |
27447 |
Arthroplasty, knee, condyle and plateau; medial AND lateral compartments with or without patella resurfacing (total knee arthroplasty) |
28005 |
Incision, bone cortex (e.g., osteomyelitis or bone abscess), foot |
28010 |
Tenotomy, percutaneous, toe; single tendon |
28041 |
Excision, tumor, soft tissue of foot or toe, subfascial (e.g., intramuscular); 1.5 cm or greater |
28090 |
Excision of lesion, tendon, tendon sheath, or capsule (including synovectomy) (e.g., cyst or ganglion); foot |
28110 |
Ostectomy, partial excision, fifth metatarsal head (bunionette) (separate procedure) |
28120 |
Partial excision (craterization, saucerization, sequestrectomy, or diaphysectomy) bone (e.g., osteomyelitis or bossing); talus or calcaneus |
28124 |
Partial excision (craterization, saucerization, sequestrectomy, or diaphysectomy) bone (e.g., osteomyelitis or bossing); phalanx of toe |
28285 |
Correction, hammertoe (e.g., interphalangeal fusion, partial or total phalangectomy) |
28289 |
Hallux rigidus correction with cheilectomy, debridement and capsular release of the first metatarsophalangeal joint; without implant |
28295 |
Correction, hallux valgus with bunionectomy, with sesamoidectomy when performed; with proximal metatarsal osteotomy, any method |
28296 |
Correction, hallux valgus with bunionectomy, with sesamoidectomy when performed; with distal metatarsal osteotomy, any method |
28299 |
Correction, hallux valgus with bunionectomy, with sesamoidectomy when performed; with double osteotomy, any method |
29806 |
Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; capsulorrhaphy |
29823 |
Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; debridement, extensive, 3 or more discrete structures (e.g., humeral bone, humeral articular cartilage, glenoid bone, glenoid articular cartilage, biceps tendon, biceps anchor complex, labrum, articular capsule, articular side of the rotator cuff, bursal side of the rotator cuff, subacromial bursa, foreign body[ies]) |
29824 |
Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; distal claviculectomy including distal articular surface (Mumford procedure) |
29825 |
Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; with lysis and resection of adhesions, with or without manipulation |
29827 |
Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; with rotator cuff repair |
29876 |
Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; synovectomy, major, 2 or more compartments (e.g., medial or lateral) |
29879 |
Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; abrasion arthroplasty (includes chondroplasty where necessary) or multiple drilling or microfracture |
29882 |
Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscus repair (medial OR lateral) |
29883 |
Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscus repair (medial AND lateral) |
29888 |
Arthroscopically aided anterior cruciate ligament repair/augmentation or reconstruction |
30130 |
Excision inferior turbinate, partial or complete, any method |
30140 |
Submucous resection inferior turbinate, partial or complete, any method |
30520 |
Septoplasty or submucous resection, with or without cartilage scoring, contouring or replacement with graft |
31253 |
Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical with ethmoidectomy; total (anterior and posterior), including frontal sinus exploration, with removal of tissue from frontal sinus, when performed |
31257 |
Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical with ethmoidectomy; total (anterior and posterior), including sphenoidotomy |
31276 |
Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical, with frontal sinus exploration, including removal of tissue from frontal sinus, when performed |
31541 |
Laryngoscopy, direct, operative, with excision of tumor and/or stripping of vocal cords or epiglottis; with operating microscope or telescope |
31571 |
Laryngoscopy, direct, with injection into vocal cord(s), therapeutic; with operating microscope or telescope |
31622 |
Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; diagnostic, with cell washing, when performed (separate procedure) |
36561 |
Insertion of tunneled centrally inserted central venous access device, with subcutaneous port; age 5 years or older |
36589 |
Removal of tunneled central venous catheter, without subcutaneous port or pump |
38525 |
Biopsy or excision of lymph node(s); open, deep axillary node(s) |
41520 |
Frenoplasty (surgical revision of frenum, e.g., with Z-plasty) |
42820 |
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy; younger than age 12 |
42825 |
Tonsillectomy, primary or secondary; younger than age 12 |
42826 |
Tonsillectomy, primary or secondary; age 12 or over |
43248 |
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, flexible, transoral; with insertion of guide wire followed by passage of dilator(s) through esophagus over guide wire |
43251 |
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, flexible, transoral; with removal of tumor(s), polyp(s), or other lesion(s) by snare technique |
43270 |
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, flexible, transoral; with ablation of tumor(s), polyp(s), or other lesion(s) (includes pre- and post-dilation and guide wire passage, when performed) |
43450 |
Dilation of esophagus, by unguided sound or bougie, single or multiple passes |
43770 |
Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; placement of adjustable gastric restrictive device (e.g., gastric band and subcutaneous port components) |
43773 |
Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; removal and replacement of adjustable gastric restrictive device component only |
43774 |
Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; removal of adjustable gastric restrictive device and subcutaneous port components |
44180 |
Laparoscopy, surgical, enterolysis (freeing of intestinal adhesion) (separate procedure) |
44361 |
Small intestinal endoscopy, enteroscopy beyond second portion of duodenum, not including ileum; with biopsy, single or multiple |
44386 |
Endoscopic evaluation of small intestinal pouch (e.g., Kock pouch, ileal reservoir [S or J]); with biopsy, single or multiple |
44970 |
Appendectomy; for ruptured appendix with abscess or generalized peritonitis |
45330 |
Sigmoidoscopy, flexible; diagnostic, including collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing, when performed (separate procedure) |
45378 |
Colonoscopy, flexible; diagnostic, including collection of specimen(s) by brushing or washing, when performed (separate procedure) |
45381 |
Colonoscopy, flexible; with directed submucosal injection(s), any substance |
45384 |
Colonoscopy, flexible; with removal of tumor(s), polyp(s), or other lesion(s) by hot biopsy forceps |
45390 |
Colonoscopy, flexible; with endoscopic mucosal resection |
46040 |
Incision and drainage of ischiorectal and/or perirectal abscess (separate procedure) |
46221 |
Hemorrhoidectomy, internal, by rubber band ligation(s) |
46255 |
Hemorrhoidectomy, internal and external, single column/group; |
46607 |
Anoscopy; with high-resolution magnification (HRA) (e.g., colposcope, operating microscope) and chemical agent enhancement, with biopsy, single or multiple |
47562 |
Laparoscopy, surgical; cholecystectomy |
47563 |
Laparoscopy, surgical; cholecystectomy with cholangiography |
49322 |
Laparoscopy, surgical; with aspiration of cavity or cyst (e.g., ovarian cyst) (single or multiple) |
49505 |
Repair initial inguinal hernia, age 5 years or older; reducible |
49591 |
Repair of anterior abdominal hernia(s) (i.e., epigastric, incisional, ventral, umbilical, spigelian), any approach (i.e., open, laparoscopic, robotic), initial, including implantation of mesh or other prosthesis when performed, total length of defect(s); less than 3 cm, reducible |
49650 |
Laparoscopy, surgical; repair initial inguinal hernia |
49651 |
Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia |
50590 |
Lithotripsy, extracorporeal shock wave |
52235 |
Cystourethroscopy, with fulguration (including cryosurgery or laser surgery) and/or resection of; MEDIUM bladder tumor(s) (2.0 to 5.0 cm) |
52281 |
Cystourethroscopy, with calibration and/or dilation of urethral stricture or stenosis, with or without meatotomy, with or without injection procedure for cystography, male or female |
52287 |
Cystourethroscopy, with injection(s) for chemodenervation of the bladder |
52310 |
Cystourethroscopy, with removal of foreign body, calculus, or ureteral stent from urethra or bladder (separate procedure); simple |
52332 |
Cystourethroscopy, with insertion of indwelling ureteral stent (e.g., Gibbons or double-J type) |
52352 |
Cystourethroscopy, with ureteroscopy and/or pyeloscopy; with removal or manipulation of calculus (ureteral catheterization is included) |
52354 |
Cystourethroscopy, with ureteroscopy and/or pyeloscopy; with biopsy and/or fulguration of ureteral or renal pelvic lesion |
52356 |
Cystourethroscopy, with ureteroscopy and/or pyeloscopy; with lithotripsy including insertion of indwelling ureteral stent (e.g., Gibbons or double-J type) |
54150 |
Circumcision, using clamp or other device with regional dorsal penile or ring block |
55040 |
Excision of hydrocele; unilateral |
55250 |
Vasectomy, unilateral or bilateral (separate procedure), including postoperative semen examination(s) |
56405 |
Incision and drainage of vulva or perineal abscess |
56501 |
Destruction of lesion(s), vulva; simple (e.g., laser surgery, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, chemosurgery) |
56605 |
Biopsy of vulva or perineum (separate procedure); 1 lesion |
57288 |
Sling operation for stress incontinence (e.g., fascia or synthetic) |
57452 |
Colposcopy of the cervix including upper/adjacent vagina; |
57454 |
Colposcopy of the cervix including upper/adjacent vagina; with biopsy(s) of the cervix and endocervical curettage |
57500 |
Biopsy of cervix, single or multiple, or local excision of lesion, with or without fulguration (separate procedure) |
57520 |
Conization of cervix, with or without fulguration, with or without dilation and curettage, with or without repair; cold knife or laser |
57522 |
Conization of cervix, with or without fulguration, with or without dilation and curettage, with or without repair; loop electrode excision |
58558 |
Hysteroscopy, surgical; with sampling (biopsy) of endometrium and/or polypectomy, with or without D&C |
58563 |
Hysteroscopy, surgical; with endometrial ablation (e.g., endometrial resection, electrosurgical ablation, thermoablation) |
64718 |
Neuroplasty and/or transposition; ulnar nerve at elbow |
64721 |
Neuroplasty and/or transposition; median nerve at carpal tunnel |
65756 |
Keratoplasty (corneal transplant); endothelial |
65855 |
Trabeculoplasty by laser surgery |
66170 |
Fistulization of sclera for glaucoma; trabeculectomy ab externo in absence of previous surgery |
66761 |
Iridotomy/iridectomy by laser surgery (e.g., for glaucoma) (per session) |
66821 |
Discission of secondary membranous cataract (opacified posterior lens capsule and/or anterior hyaloid); laser surgery (e.g., YAG laser) (1 or more stages) |
66982 |
Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (1-stage procedure), manual or mechanical technique (e.g., irrigation and aspiration or phacoemulsification), complex, requiring devices or techniques not generally used in routine cataract surgery (e.g., iris expansion device, suture support for intraocular lens, or primary posterior capsulorrhexis) or performed on patients in the amblyogenic developmental stage; without endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation |
66984 |
Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (1 stage procedure), manual or mechanical technique (e.g., irrigation and aspiration or phacoemulsification); without endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation |
66985 |
Insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (secondary implant), not associated with concurrent cataract removal |
67028 |
Intravitreal injection of a pharmacologic agent (separate procedure) |
67039 |
Vitrectomy, mechanical, pars plana approach; with focal endolaser photocoagulation |
67042 |
Vitrectomy, mechanical, pars plana approach; with removal of internal limiting membrane of retina (e.g., for repair of macular hole, diabetic macular edema), includes, if performed, intraocular tamponade (i.e., air, gas or silicone oil) |
67107 |
Repair of retinal detachment; scleral buckling (such as lamellar scleral dissection, imbrication or encircling procedure), including, when performed, implant, cryotherapy, photocoagulation, and drainage of subretinal fluid |
67108 |
Repair of retinal detachment; with vitrectomy, any method, including, when performed, air or gas tamponade, focal endolaser photocoagulation, cryotherapy, drainage of subretinal fluid, scleral buckling, and/or removal of lens by same technique |
67113 |
Repair of complex retinal detachment (e.g., proliferative vitreoretinopathy, stage C-1 or greater, diabetic traction retinal detachment, retinopathy of prematurity, retinal tear of greater than 90 degrees), with vitrectomy and membrane peeling, including, when performed, air, gas, or silicone oil tamponade, cryotherapy, endolaser photocoagulation, drainage of subretinal fluid, scleral buckling, and/or removal of lens |
67145 |
Prophylaxis of retinal detachment (e.g., retinal break, lattice degeneration) without drainage; photocoagulation |
67210 |
Destruction of localized lesion of retina (e.g., macular edema, tumors), 1 or more sessions; photocoagulation |
67228 |
Treatment of extensive or progressive retinopathy (e.g., diabetic retinopathy), photocoagulation |
67311 |
Strabismus surgery, recession or resection procedure; 1 horizontal muscle |
67400 |
Orbitotomy without bone flap (frontal or transconjunctival approach); for exploration, with or without biopsy |
68811 |
Probing of nasolacrimal duct, with or without irrigation; requiring general anesthesia |
68815 |
Probing of nasolacrimal duct, with or without irrigation; with insertion of tube or stent |
69610 |
Tympanic membrane repair, with or without site preparation of perforation for closure, with or without patch |
69645 |
Tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy (including canalplasty, middle ear surgery, tympanic membrane repair); radical or complete, without ossicular chain reconstruction |