# EKG - 93005 vs 93000 vs 93010 - understand the codes



## mkm1517 (Sep 29, 2008)

I'm looking for input regarding coding EKGs. This is what I understand the codes to mean:
- 93005 = EKG tracing only / no interpretation.
- 93000 = EKG tracing with interpretation & report documented on same day as the EKG was taken.
- 93010 = EKG tracing with interpretation & report documented on a different day as the EKG was taken.

I suppose my main question is what constitutes an interpretatin & report? My docs will say "normal EKG, no ST-wave changes" and this is documented in the patient's EMR in the doc's progress note. Does this constitute appropriate documentation to support coding 93000 or 93010 (depending on timing)? I understand "normal EKG" or "abnormal EKG" is not sufficient documentation.

Second part of my question: In our office the patient has an EKG done and then the doc will interpret the reading (on the same day the EKG was taken) and then send the EKG to a different facility for the official full-written report. Can we code 93000 or 93010 (again depending on timing) or should we just be coding the 93005 for the tracing?

Your help is greatly appreciated! Thanks much!

PS: We are a family practice so we don't perform angio's or anything...I'm just asking about the straight EKG codes.  Thanks!


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## crystalm (Oct 8, 2008)

In our office, which is also family practice mainly, we have an internal medicine doctor who interprets all of our EKG's.  So he always receives the 93010, as he does the written report on all.  For the EKG's that this doc orders, we then bill the 93000.  For our family practice doc's, they may refer in their dictation to the EKG results, but we don't count that as the reading.  So for them we bill just the 93005.  Hope this helps some!


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## wlacey (Oct 10, 2008)

*Ekg*

I work in Family Practice. We do an occasional EKG and the interpretation is printed on the EKG with the equipment we have.  Does anyone have the definition of what an interpretation must say?  We have been coding 93000.


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