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Cardiology Coding Alert

2002 Fee Schedule Clarifies Impact of New and Revised CPT Codes
The 2002 Physician Fee Schedule, published in the Federal Register on Nov. 1, notes th... Read more
CCI:
Long-Standing Coding Policies, Modifier -25 Changed
Correct Coding Manual/Version 7.3 (CCM 7.3), the latest version of the manual that co... Read more
Anthrax Coding Report Free on Web
Physicians and other healthcare professionals who provide services to any patients with ac... Read more
Reader Question:
Electron Beam Tomography
Question: The cardiologist provided professional interpretation of electron beam tomograph... Read more
Reader Question:
Protime Checks
Question: We purchased a CoumaChek machine to check prothrombin times and already have a C... Read more
Reader Question:
Coumadin and Surgery
Question: How should I code a coumadin patient who must be admitted to the hospital to st... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Heart Catheterization
Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before look... Read more
CPT 2002 Changes Include New Brachytherapy, AngioJet Codes
The CPT Codes 2002 manual includes new cardiology codes, as well as code revision... Read more
Medicare Carriers Instructed To Accept Post-Test Diagnoses
Medicare carriers across the nation continue to debate whether physicians who perform dia... Read more
Reader Question:
Ramus Intermedius Interventions
Question: How should we code for an intervention in the ramus intermedius?Kansas Subscribe... Read more
Reader Question:
Diagnostic Tests and Modifier -25
Question: The cardiologists in our office perform many echocardiograms and Doppler scans. ... Read more
Reader Question:
Thrombin Injections
Question: A patient underwent left heart catheterization and subsequently developed a pseu... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coronary Angiography
Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before look... Read more
Heart Cath Discharge:
Contact Hospital To Determine Patient Status Before Billing
Cardiologists can bill for discharges performed after left heart catheterizations only if... Read more
Coronary Blood Flow Payable With Heart Cath, Angiogram
" Two techniques are used to evaluate blood flow around or through a lesio... Read more
Document ECP Codes Well for Full Reimbursement
" The 2000 HCPCS manual introduced G0166 (external counterpulsation, per treatment), ... Read more
Correction:
Atherectomy Codes
In our September issue on page 66, we incorrectly stated that an atherectomy performed du... Read more
Reader Question:
Transtelephonic Monitor
Question: We hook patients up to transtelephonic monitors, sometimes looping, sometimes no... Read more
Reader Question:
Two E/Ms on the Same Day, Same Patient
Question: One of our cardiologists was called for a consult on an inpatient. He in turn re... Read more
Reader Question:
Appending a Modifier to 93642
Question: Surgery is done to implant a defibrillator (33249). Intraoperative-device testi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Temporary Dialysis Catheter Placement
Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before look... Read more
Avoid Confusing Atherectomy Codes With Other Similar Procedures
Of the three coronary interventions performed by cardiologists, atherectomy is t... Read more
Coding Dilemma for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
The use of internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to treat atrial fibrillation (AF)... Read more
Reader Question:
Contralateral Selective Catheter Placement
Question: The physician performs contralateral selective catheter placement and angiograp... Read more
Reader Question:
Spot Checks
Question: Your publication regularly instructs coders to read the entire operative report ... Read more
Reader Question:
Renal Aortography
Question: A physician in our practice dictated the following: "The pigtail catheter was p... Read more
Reader Question:
36000 and 76000
Question: Can I report 36000 and 76000 separately when billing 93650? There do not seem to... Read more
Reader Question:
No Prolonged Services With Discharge Codes
Question: Can prolonged services be billed for a hospital discharge that took much longer ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Prior Ablation Therapy
Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before look... Read more
Coding Cheney:
VPs Recent Coronary History Makes Good Cardiology Coding Primer
Three times in the last eight months, Vice President Dick Cheney has checked into Geo... Read more
Billing E/M Using Time Can Boost Reimbursement
Cardiologists spend a lot of time with their patients reviewing test results and dis... Read more
Reminder:
Refile Denied Same-Day E/M, Diagnostic Test Claims
In October 2000, version 6.3 of the national Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) added more th... Read more
Reader Question:
Billing When Patient Leaves AMA
Question: If a patient leaves the hospital against the physicians medical advice, can the ... Read more
Reader Question:
Emergency Department Coding
Question: Can a cardiologist bill 99282 if the service is rendered in the emergency depa... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Diagnostic Study With ICD and Evaluation
Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situatio... Read more
Dont Miss Payment Opportunities When Coding Nuclear Scans
Last issue, Cardiology Coding Alert covered coding and billing for exercise and phar... Read more
Medicare Carriers Instructed To Accept V Codes for Pre-Op Consults
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, formerly HCFA) has instructed a... Read more
Cardiologists Must Determine Which Procedures Are Reasonable
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, formerly HCFA) has deleted modifier... Read more
Reader Question:
Face-to-Face Needed To Bill Office Visit
Question: Some of the cardiologists in our office want to charge a low-level office visit ... Read more
Reader Question:
Transseptal Heart Cath
Question: The cardiologist documented a trans-septal procedure. What can you tell me about... Read more
Reader Question:
Private Carriers Set Own Rules
Question: The cardiologist performed a right and left heart cath (93526, combined right he... Read more
Reader Question:
Post-Op TEE Read Included in 93312
Question: A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is performed and images are obtained befo... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Mechanical Complications
Reviewed on May 22, 2015 Question: The patient has an endoleak after an endograft... Read more
Boost Stress Test Payment With Clear Documentation and Accurate Coding
Cardiovascular stress tests are common procedures, but obtaining correct payment for them ... Read more
Abdominal Aortography Interp May Be Payable With Heart Cath
Additional payment may be obtained for any abdominal aortography performed during the sa... Read more
Buyer Beware:
Use of Vascular Closure Devices Isnt Payable
Several percutaneous vascular closure devices (PVCDs) are used to close an arterial punc... Read more
Reader Question:
Use 78465 for Multiple Study Over Two Days
Question: Our cardiologist frequently performs SPECT scans in conjunction with stress test... Read more
Reader Question:
Unclear Op Note Requires Addendum
Question: How should I code the following? Percutaneous entry into the right femoral a... Read more
Reader Question:
Tilt Table Testing
Question: Is there a list of payable diagnoses for tilt table testing?Alabama Subscriber ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
E/M Prior to Scheduled Heart Cath
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Bill Left-chamber EP With Multiple Studies Only
When performing a multiple-catheter electrophysiology (EP) study including left atrial o... Read more
HCFA Revises Supervision Levels for Diagnostic Tests
Nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) who perform echocardiograms and other ultrasound proced... Read more
HCFA Releases Draft of Simple Advance Beneficiary Notice
HCFA has released a draft version of a new advance beneficiary notice (ABN) form designed ... Read more
Reader Question:
Billing for External Counterpulsation
Question: Our physician is interested in performing enhanced external counterpulsation in ... Read more
Reader Question:
TEE 93318 and Modifier -22
Question: Our cardiologist often performs continuous monitoring TEEs on pediatric patients... Read more
Reader Question:
E/M Service and Echocardiogram
Question: If a patient comes into the office for an echocardiogram and the doctor performs... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Elective Cardioversion
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Four Steps Ease Billing of Same-session Peripheral and Coronary Catheterizations
When coronary and selective (peripheral) catheter placements are performed during the same... Read more
HCFA to Cover Carotid PTA/Stent Deployment in Clinical Trials
HCFA has decided to cover balloon angioplasty in the carotid artery performed with the dep... Read more
Reader Question:
Elective Cardioversion
Question: My cardiologist wants to perform cardioversion in the office. How do I bill for ... Read more
Reader Question:
Pacer Checks in the Global Period
Question: Although the Federal Register indicates a 90-day global for permanent pacer inse... Read more
Reader Question:
New TEE Code
Question: Can you tell me how 93318, the new TEE code in CPT 2001, is different from the o... Read more
Reader Question:
Blood Gases Part of Heart Cath
Question: During a left/right heart cath, our cardiologist wrote, full O2 oximetry run (8 ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Overdrive Pacing
Question: When an already-installed pacemaker is used to overdrive a tachyarrhythmia, how ... Read more
Profit From Prudent Use of Prolonged Services
Cardiologists who spend extended time counseling a patient or patients family may benefit ... Read more
New Codes for Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Can Lead to Greater Reimbursement
CPT 2001 has introduced several new codes, many of which are separately billable, to desc... Read more
Reader Question:
Brachytherapy
Question: Our cardiologists would like to use brachytherapy in association with heart cath... Read more
Reader Question:
PTA, Stent May Be Billed Separately
Question: My cardiologist recently performed a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA)... Read more
Reader Question:
Incomplete Procedure
Question: Can we bill an unsuccessful procedure? The operative reports reads,Angioplasty o... Read more
Reader Question:
Use Unlisted Procedure Code for Cutting Balloon
Question: What is the correct code for use of a cutting balloon? Some of our cardiologists... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Stress Echo Coding
Question: How should we code when the cardiologist performs a stress echo in the hospital?... Read more
HCFA Suspends CCI Edits; Significant, Separately Identifiable E/M Still Required
HCFA has suspended edits of evaluation and management (E/M) services with diagnostic tests... Read more
Code Multiple Interventions by Vessel for Best Billing Results
When cardiologists perform multiple interventions, the number of coronary vessels being r... Read more
Breaking News:
HCFA Rejects Modifier -60
HCFA has decided not to recognize modifier -60 (altered surgical field). The new modifie... Read more
Correction:
Stent Placement and Modifier -26
The December and January issues of Cardiology Coding Alert erroneously reported that stent... Read more
Reader Question:
Heart Cath Performed Prior to Intervention
Question: Our cardiologist performed a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTC... Read more
Reader Question:
Transcatheter Infusion Therapy
Question: When I bill 37202 along with lower extremity arterials, the insurer denies the c... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Trans-telephonic Monitoring
Question: One of our physicians wants to bill 93272 (patient demand single or multiple ev... Read more
CPT 2001 Clarifies New vs. Established Patient
Cardiologists are often unable to determine if a patient they are seeing face-to-face for ... Read more
Receive Optimal Payment by Coding Correctly for Thrombolysis During Intervention
While performing cardiac catheterizations or coronary interventions (i.e., angioplasty, st... Read more
Coding in the News:
Stent Inserted After Cheney Suffers Slight Heart Attack
Two weeks after the closest election in U.S. history, Vice president-elect Dick Cheney had... Read more
Reader Question:
Coumadin Clinic Visit
Question: Our practice is starting a Coumadin clinic. In addition to charging for a finger... Read more
Reader Question:
Critical Care and Inpatient Coding
Question: Is it appropriate to use inpatient admission codes 99221-99223 or inpatient cons... Read more
You Be the Coder:
AngioJet
Question: How should we code a mechanical thrombectomy with the Possis Medical AngioJet sy... Read more
Available Years:  2001  2000  1999  1998