Question: The surgeon performed diagnostic thoracoscopy followed by surgical thoracoscopy with partial lobectomy. Should I report only the surgical procedure, or can I bill for the diagnostic scope also?
Utah Subscriber
Answer: Thoracoscopy follows the same guidelines as other endoscopic procedures, as noted in CPT. This means that the diagnostic scope is bundled into (included as an integral component of) a subsequent surgical scope on the same date of service.
CPT designates all diagnostic thoracoscopy codes (32601-32606) as “separate procedures,” meaning that you may report such a procedure only if it is “carried out independently or considered to be unrelated to or distinct from procedures/services provided at that time.”
Therefore, you may not separately report (or expect payment for) the diagnostic thoracoscopy in addition to the surgical thoracoscopy with partial lobectomy 32663, Thoracoscopy, surgical; with lobectomy, total or segmental.
