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Billing code

E524A — Mohs micrographic surgery — additional cuts

Additional Mohs surgery cuts

Add to Mohs surgery (R081) for one or more additional cuts on the same lesion.

Watch for: Must be billed with R081, once per lesion; not payable if a pathologist interprets or bills for the slides.

Code

E524A

Description

Mohs micrographic surgery — additional cuts

FHO+ basket

Not in the FHO+ base rate basket (Schedule 2 or 2B).

Effective date

Apr 1, 2025

Termination date

No end date

Explanation

Updated October 26, 2026

Add-on to Mohs surgery (R081) for one or more additional cuts on the same lesion.

What it covers

E524 is added to R081 for one or more additional Mohs cuts (M8).

Mohs surgery must meet the definition on M8: a histologically confirmed skin cancer with at least one listed indication (M8).

Billing rules

• Add-on to R081 only (M8).
• Once per lesion; another E524 may be considered by independent consideration when claimed on a later day up to two weeks after R081 (M9).
• Same training and slide-interpretation rules as R081: not payable if a pathologist interprets or bills for the slides (M8).
• For a second lesion the same day, R081 with or without E524 is paid at 85% (M9).

Often billed with

• R081 initial cut (M8).

Common rejections

• ADF: The base procedure was missing, invalid or paid at zero; E524 must be billed with R081 (M8).

Related codes: R081, R048, R094, R045, R072

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Integumentary System Surgical Procedures, Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue, page M8–M9.

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