# cataract removal with anterior vitrectomy



## leren44 (Jun 12, 2012)

I work for an ASC.  One of our surgeions did a phaco cataract removal.  After the phaco was done to the nucleus, the surgeon states " a capsular tear was noted centrally in the capsule and a limited anterior vitrectomy was performed"  

My question is, can't I bill the anterior vitrectomey in addition to the phaco?  When I inquired the surgeon as to whether the vitrectomy was done due to a vitreous hemorrhage, he stated I couldn't bill for the vitrectomy.   Is this correct?

Thanks for any help


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## harrygopsdr (Jun 22, 2012)

*You can bill*

Hi,
You can bill the anterior viterectomy along with phaco, we usually did this.


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## salCCS (Jun 23, 2012)

Hello, I agree with physician please see article.                       

Codes 67005 and 67010 are listed as components of 66984 (extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis [one stage procedure], manual or mechanical technique [e.g., irrigation and aspiration or phacoemulsification]) on the Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) and are not separately payable for iatrogenic complications. The billing of 66984 and 67005 or 67010 with modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) would be unbundling, a type of Medicare billing fraud, says Raequell Duran, president of Practice Solutions, a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based ophthalmology coding and compliance consultancy. 

Sal Valdepena, CCS, CEDC


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