# Correct coding for a non diagnostic echocardiogram



## heggie1@yahoo.com (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi. I need some help with coding a non diagnostic echocardiogram.  The patient was obese and the tech could not see very well.  The provider documented poor visualization on all areas of the study then stated "technically limited study/BSA/poor visualization/non-diagnostic study."  Is this billable?


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## Cyndi113 (Nov 23, 2011)

Heather, 

If not for diagnostic purposes, why was the echo done?


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## heggie1@yahoo.com (Nov 23, 2011)

The echo was done because the patient had an abnormal ekg, but the results of the echo were non-diagnostic.


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## srinivas r sajja (Nov 24, 2011)

we don't bill non-diagnostic studies.


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## heggie1@yahoo.com (Nov 28, 2011)

I am sorry, I may have confused you with the way I worded my question.  The echo was done for diagnostic purposes, but the provider could not diagnose the patient based on the results of the echo.  The visualization was very poor.


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## theresa.dix@tennova.com (Nov 29, 2011)

heggie1@yahoo.com said:


> I am sorry, I may have confused you with the way I worded my question.  The echo was done for diagnostic purposes, but the provider could not diagnose the patient based on the results of the echo.  The visualization was very poor.



Yes this is billable. If the physician stated the echo was limited study and said something like. LV -RV -LA-RA- mitral-aortic-tricuspid- pericardium-aortic root was not able to be seen, doppler,color flow was done then you can bill 93306. If anything less then this was documented then you would need to bill the limited study echo.


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## heggie1@yahoo.com (Dec 6, 2011)

Thank you Theresa.


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