Z161 – Removal of three or more lesions by electrocoagulation and/or curetting
OHIP Psychiatric Code — INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM SURGICAL PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits
Removal of three or more Group 1 lesions (e.g., keratosis, pyogenic granuloma) by electrocoagulation and/or curetting. Payment Rules: - Paring of a lesion by any method, including curetting and/or electrocoagulation, without complete removal of the lesion does not constitute Z159, Z160 or Z161 and is not eligible for payment. - Removal of any lesions (e.g., keratosis, nevi) for cosmetic purposes and not for any clinical suspicion of disease or malignancy is not an insured service. - Excision or removal by electrocoagulation and/or curetting of plantar verrucae is not an insured service. See Appendix D Surface Pathology for further details.
When to Use
- Use Z161 when you perform complete removal of three or more distinct Group 1 lesions (e.g., actinic keratoses) via electrocoagulation or curettage during a single encounter.
- Use this code when the clinical documentation confirms the removal was for suspected pathology (e.g., pre-malignant changes) rather than cosmetic improvement.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing Z161 for the removal of plantar verrucae, which is explicitly excluded from OHIP coverage regardless of the removal method.
- Submitting Z161 when only paring or partial destruction was performed; the code requires complete removal of the lesion to be eligible for payment.
- Attempting to bill Z161 for cosmetic removals, which will trigger a rejection or audit recovery as these are not insured services.
Billing Tips
- Ensure your chart notes explicitly state the number of lesions removed and the clinical indication for each, as this is required to justify the 'three or more' threshold.
- If you remove fewer than three lesions, you must use Z159 or Z160 instead; Z161 is strictly for a volume of three or more.
Effective: April 1, 2026
M. Integumentary System Surgical Procedures
INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM SURGICAL PROCEDURES
Surgical
Integumentary System Surgical Procedures
All insured services must be documented in appropriate records that the service was provided, is the service submitted, and was medically necessary, as per .
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