# age old bubble study question



## bkiesecker (May 5, 2010)

so i am submitting the age old question ....
first is a bubble study separately reimbursable
second can you code for the vein puncture or push   

is  96374 or 36000  acceptableness to bill for the bubble study component

during any kind of echo
93306
93307 
93308 
CCI states that you can use a modifier if Appropriate *but* there is a edit 

I have my opinion but i am taking a lot of criticism so i am opening it to the floor please give me your opinion and source if possible


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## Jess1125 (May 6, 2010)

I hear you. Our office bills for it but I know of places that are against it. 

This question came up in "You Be the Coder" in a 2009 issue of the Cardiology Coding Alert. Vol.12 No. 5 to be exact.

The article stated that this is what CPT's say was: "In a response to a request for the appropriate bubble study code, AMA's June 2005 CPT Assistant says you may report 90784 (Therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic injection (specify material injected; intravenous) for intravenous injection of agitated saline or contrast media for imaging during echocardiography."

CPT 2009 moved the infusion and injection codes so the appropriate code now is 96374.

So based on the above I feel it would be okay to bill 96374 in addtion to the echo code(s).


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## Cyndi113 (May 6, 2010)

This actually came up in our office yesterday. We finally found our answer on the Medlearn website - http://www.medlearn.com/questions/radiology_arch.html. Look for the March 15, 2010 question of the week.


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## bkiesecker (May 6, 2010)

so is that one yes and one no ?


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## jessica1974 (May 11, 2010)

It is my understanding that a bubble study is included in billing the Echo. It is just a mixer of saline and therefore not separately coded or billed.


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## scrappingal (May 13, 2010)

*Bubble Study*

I agree that only the 93306 Echo would be billed. IV supplies are not reimbursed.


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