# CPT codes 71010 and 74000



## trwilson

I work in a hospital in the radiology deparment.  One of our hospitals bills a combination code that they created that links CPT codes 71010 and 74000 together.  They want to add this combo code to our hospital's data base, but I have a problem with it.  They are only doing one image; they just happen to be showing the chest frontal view and the abdomen anteroposterior view both on the same image.  My question is, does anyone else think this is wrong?  I believe in order to genuinely charge for both of these exams, you should do two separate images.  Does anyone disagree?

Thanks.


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## armen

trwilson said:


> I work in a hospital in the radiology deparment.  One of our hospitals bills a combination code that they created that links CPT codes 71010 and 74000 together.  They want to add this combo code to our hospital's data base, but I have a problem with it.  They are only doing one image; they just happen to be showing the chest frontal view and the abdomen anteroposterior view both on the same image.  My question is, does anyone else think this is wrong?  I believe in order to genuinely charge for both of these exams, you should do two separate images.  Does anyone disagree?
> 
> Thanks.



I agree, it sounds fishy. the following may help:
74000-Films are taken of the abdominal cavity in one view from front to back. Because an abdominal x-ray usually precedes another diagnostic imaging procedure, *it is not coded separately unless performed as a separately identifiable examination*.


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## trwilson

Thanks so much for the reply.  I agree completely and will relay this to the radiologist that wants to charge the codes.


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