Billing code
Z161A — Benign skin lesion (Group 1) — electrocoagulation and/or curetting — three or more lesions
Three+ lesions curetted off
Bill for completely removing three or more Group 1 benign lesions, such as keratoses, by electrocoagulation or curetting.
Watch for: Paring without complete removal isn't payable; plantar warts removed this way aren't insured.
| Provider | Specialist | Assistant | Anaesthetist | Non-anaesthetist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $28.70 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $95.76 | $95.76 |
- Code
- Z161A
- Description
- Benign skin lesion (Group 1) — electrocoagulation and/or curetting — three or more lesions
- FHO+ basket
- Covered by the FHO+ base rate payment for enrolled patients, and shadow billed at 30% (50% for Schedule 2B procedures).
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Termination date
- No end date
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
Removal of three or more Group 1 benign skin lesions (e.g. keratosis, pyogenic granuloma) by electrocoagulation and/or curetting.
What it covers
Group 1 lesions are, for example, keratosis and pyogenic granuloma. Z159, Z160 and Z161 cover removal of one, two, or three or more lesions by electrocoagulation and/or curetting (M3).
The lesion must be completely removed (M3).
Billing rules
- Paring a lesion by any method, including curetting and/or electrocoagulation, without complete removal is not Z159–Z161 and is not payable (M3).
- Excision or removal of plantar warts by electrocoagulation and/or curetting is not insured (M3, AD4).
- Other warts are insured only as listed in Appendix D: perianal or genital warts, warts in immunocompromised patients, or head and neck warts in an infant or child (AD4).
- Removal for cosmetic purposes, without clinical suspicion of disease or malignancy, is not insured and is billed to the patient (M3, AD3).
- A Z code is an independent operative procedure: if your decision-to-operate visit was in the prior 12 months, only a minor (GP) or partial (specialist) assessment is payable before it the same day (SP4 §13).
- FHO: an in-basket core service (Schedule 2, Agreement p.82) with 50% shadow billing (Schedule 2B, p.88), and a Schedule 4 office procedure (p.67 §8.7, p.95).
Related codes: Z159, Z160, Z156, Z157, Z158, Z117, Z119
Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Integumentary System Surgical Procedures, Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue, page M3.
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