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Cardiology Coding Alert

CPT® 2014:
Get to Know the Aorta to Apply 34841-34848 With Precision
FEVAR moves from Category III to Category I in January. Your visceral aorta repair cod... Read more
CPT® 2014:
33366 Takes the Place of 0318T Next Year
Be sure the whole TAVR team is in the loop. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Stay Alert to Catch Changes to Cardiac Event Recorder Codes 33282 and 33284
Check symbols, not definitions. Determining why codes 33282 (Implantation of patient-a... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Keep an Eye Out for Opportunities to Use New Phone/Internet Consult Codes
99446-99449 require a verbal report and a written report. Starting January 1, CPT®... Read more
CPT® 2014:
93653, 93654, 93656 Revision Status Is Explained
These definitions went into effect in 2013. Your CPT® 2014 resource will probably ... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Factor These 4 Category III Code Options Into Your Cardiology Game Plan
Don’t ignore the valve repair codes effective in January but absent from the codeb... Read more
News You Can Use:
Wondering Where the HCPCS Updates Are?
You should have them before Thanksgiving. CMS has announced that it expects to publish... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
R07.89 Lets You Report Chest Pressure and More as of Oct. 1
Following inclusion notes will keep your coding on track. Once ICD-10-CM is implemente... Read more
Reader Question:
Transition to New CMS-1500 in 2014
Question: How will the CMS 1500 form change to allow ICD-10-CM reporting? Vermont Subs... Read more
Reader Question:
Overlapping Anatomy Can Cause 76700/76770 Problems
Question: Our referring physician requests abdominal and renal ultrasound together. Can ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Beware of Reporting Bilateral Services Twice
Question: How do you bill 36245-50 bilaterally? Does the 50 modifier tell them it was do... Read more
CPT® 2014:
33222 and 33223 Emphasize 'Relocation' for Cardiac Device Pockets as of January 1
Consider I&D codes when revision is performed. If you’ve ever struggled with... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Take a Peek at New Codes for Percutaneous Cardiac Surgeries
See which diagnosis codes are likely to pair with these new procedure codes. Minimally... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Details Matter When Reporting New Embolization
Look at the type of vessel and reason for treatment. Be sure to remove vascular emboli... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Turn to 37217 for Retrograde Carotid or Innominate Stent Placement
Radiological supervision and interpretation is included, too. CPT® 2014 has introd... Read more
CPT® 2014:
Watch Vessel Type When Reporting 37236-+37238 in 2014
Toss out 37205-+37208 to make room for new intravascular stent codes. CPT® 2014 de... Read more
Check Back Next Month for More CPT® 2014 News
Watch the next issue for details on new coding options for FEVAR and transapical TAVR, C... Read more
CCI 19.3:
New Temporary Pacemaker Edits Apply to Claims After Oct. 1, 2013
Bottom line: Don’t report temp codes with permanent device services. Correct Cod... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
R94.31 Answers the Call for Abnormal ECG Code Next Year
Check out the codes for ‘other’ and ‘unspecified’ options, too. ... Read more
Reader Question:
746.85 Doesn't Apply to RI
Question: Should I code the presence of a ramus intermedius as an anomaly? Codify Sub... Read more
Reader Question:
93458 Requires Coronary Angiography
Question: My doctor performed LHC, aortic root arteriography with runoff, and a bilatera... Read more
You Be the Coder:
How Do You Code When PVI Is Performed 2nd?
Question: How should I code if during an encounter the physician performs CTI ablation f... Read more
93306:
Tackle 2 Echo Scenarios Head On to Avoid These Costly Mistakes
Work with your clinical team to keep these assumptions from tanking your claim. How do I ... Read more
Compliance:
Apply 3 Tips to Keep Your Incident-To Claims Watertight
Knowing when to bill under the NPP, not the MD, is a must to avoid audit trouble. A p... Read more
CPT® 2014 Details Are on the Way!
Don’t miss the next issue when we’ll take an in-depth look at the CPT® 2... Read more
Flow Chart:
Simplify Incident-To Billing With a Question by Question Approach
Follow the arrows to compliant claims. Non-physician practitioners (NPPs) are an impor... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
T82.- Codes for Cardiac Device Complications Demand A Lot of Details
Check for the specific problem before using these 996.71-996.72 replacements. If you h... Read more
Reader Question:
76942 Requires Strong Medical Necessity
Question: I’m hearing conflicting things about whether I can report 76942 for need... Read more
Reader Question:
Medicare Posts New Pacemaker Decision Memo
Question: Has there been any update on Medicare’s proposed pacemaker coverage for ... Read more
Reader Question:
G9157 Covers Physician TED Work
Question: What’s included in G9157? North Carolina Subscriber Answer: Medica... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding for a Service in Another MD's Global
Question: Our physician readmitted a patient who was in a global period for a procedure ... Read more
Reader Question:
Double Check 36005 With 36569
Question: When venography, angioplasty, and stenting precede PICC placement, may I overr... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Find Codes for BiV Upgrade
Question: If a patient has an upgrade from dual to BiV PM at the same session that the a... Read more
TTE:
Master 93306 Coding Now Because It Could Be Worth Even More in 2014
Can’t evaluate all required anatomy? Complete exam code may still be an option. ... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Z45.0- Will Help You Report Cardiac Device Encounters Next Year
Prepare to distinguish between pacemaker battery and other parts. ICD-10 will require ... Read more
Claims:
CMS Clarifies How to Report Clinical Trial Numbers for TAVR
Paper-based and electronic have different instructions. Keeping track of CMS’s r... Read more
Reader Question:
Limit Stress Test Coding to Services Provided
Question: At a facility, my physician provides stress tests (without treadmill) for pati... Read more
Reader Question:
Subtract Cath Time From 99291
Question: While providing critical care, the doctor inserted a tunneled central venous c... Read more
Reader Question:
Dig for Diagnostic and Interventional Carotid Details
Question: How should I report diagnostic right common carotid artery angiography and rig... Read more
Reader Question:
Calculate A9502 and A9505 Units Differently
Question: How many units should I report for Myoview (A9502), 30 mCi for rest and stress... Read more
Reader Question:
Save Mod 59 for CCI Override, Says Cahaba
Question: Can you explain when to choose modifier 59 and modifier 76? Georgia Subscri... Read more
Reader Question:
99221-99223 Is 'Per Day' for the Group
Question: Two cardiologists in our group saw the same inpatient on the same date. The fi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Watch Coding for OM Branches
Question: How should I report stents in the LAD, OM1, and OM2? Codify Subscriber Ans... Read more
CCI Deletions:
CMS Finally Gives a Green Light to +93623 With More EP Study/Ablation Codes
Take action to secure the dollars you’ve earned since January. Good news: Correc... Read more
CCI Additions:
S-ICDs and E/M Dominate Cardiology's July Edit Updates
Thousands of new edits will affect your claims, but common sense should see you through. ... Read more
CCI Changes:
Hunt Down the Column and Modifier Indicator Swaps in the Latest Edit Update
Additions and deletions aren’t the only game in town. Savvy coders know that Cor... Read more
News You Can Use:
Pacemakers May See Revised Coverage Indications
Take the opportunity to review the proposed decision. CMS has posted a proposed decisi... Read more
Arrhythmia:
Take a Quick Tutorial in Chemical Cardioversion Coding
Watch the setting when choosing codes. If your physician performed cardioversion, that... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
426.4 Will Divide Into 3 Right Bundle Branch Block Options in 2014
Remember to look to combo codes if the left bundle branch is affected, too. ICD-10 twe... Read more
Reader Question:
Analyze Medicare's ASC-Covered Procedures
Question: Where can I find a list of the codes Medicare covers when performed in an ASC?... Read more
Reader Question:
99201 Is OK With 93925, But Be Cautious
Question: Can 99201 or 99211 be billed with 93925 (ABI)? Codify Member Answer: The... Read more
Reader Question:
Seek Pacer Upgrade Codes
Question: Which codes apply to this service? 1) Venography of left subclavian 2) Ve... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Can You Report Second EKG Reading?
Question:  Is there a modifier or a procedure code for the following? Patient comes... Read more
CPT® News:
37205 Deleted? See What Else 2014 May Bring for Cardiology Codes
There’s something for everyone — congenital, nuclear, TAVR, TCM, FEVAR, and ... Read more
Frequency Edits:
Add Date of Service MUEs to CMS Line-Up Now
You won’t know for sure which codes have these edits, though. If you aren’... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
429.1 Finds Its Equal in I51.5 for Myocardial Degeneration
You’ll be able to hold on to your old rule about hypertensive heart disease, too. ... Read more
Valve Replacement:
Capture Clinical Trial Number for TAVR Services, Says CMS
Follow this checklist to get your claims accepted the first time. Starting in July, yo... Read more
Reader Question:
413.9 Applies to Angina After Infarction, Too
Question: Should I report 411.0 for postinfarction angina? New Jersey Subscriber A... Read more
Reader Question:
Modifiers Help Distinguish 92928 Services
Question: Can you bill multiple stents to different arteries of the heart? For example, ... Read more
Reader Question:
996.01 Helps Report PMT
Question: How do I report pacemaker-mediated tachycardia? Texas Subscriber Answer:... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Sort Through This EP Report for Codes
Question:  How should I code this service? Two 4fr sheaths placed to LFV. 7FR to ... Read more
ECG:
93010 Is Sometimes the Right Choice on Cardiac Cath Day
The trick is pinpointing diagnostic electrocardiography. ECGs are bundled into cardiac... Read more
Category III:
0180T Steps In for 64+ Lead ECG
The definitions for routine ECG codes 93010-93015 state “at least 12 leads.”... Read more
HCPCS:
J0152 May Be Ditched in 2014 for Adenosine
A new J code appears to be on the horizon. The way you report units for adenosine may ... Read more
CMS:
Ordering/Provider Edit Implementation Is on Hold
You have a little more time to verify that providers are eligible to order Medicare test... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
I49.3 Gives Ventricular Premature Beats Their Own Code in 2014
Term swap: ICD-10 uses ‘depolarization’ instead of ‘beats.’ A ... Read more
Cardioversion:
92960 Won't Fly for Emergency Defibrillation
CPR and cardiac cycle synchronization offer key clues to proper coding. Cardioversions... Read more
Reader Question:
Calculate Sequester Reduction Properly
Question: Does the 2 percent sequestration cut apply to claims with dates of service on/... Read more
Reader Question:
E/M May Cover MD's Role in Procainamide Challenge
Question: What code would I use for procainamide challenge used to rule out Brugada synd... Read more
Reader Question:
36556 Use Depends on Termination Point
Question: My physician noted that he inserted a central line through the right femoral v... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Signs and Symptoms Support This Heart Cath
Question: The patient had a left-sided heart catheterization, selective coronary angiogr... Read more
MPFS:
Make the Most of April Updates to Angiography, Extracorporeal Circulation, and TED
All three changes are retroactive to January 1.   Medicare Physician Fee Schedu... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
I50.- Will Remove the Unspecified CHF Option in 2014
You’ll still have fifth digit options to identify acute or chronic. ICD-9 and IC... Read more
CMS:
99495 and 99496 Use Gets Clearer With New TCM FAQs
Find answers to place and date of service questions. CMS has offered some fresh insigh... Read more
News You Can Use:
Expect Ordering Provider Edits to Start May 1
Check enrollment for your own physicians and those who order tests from your practice. ... Read more
Reader Question:
37211 Answers the Call for Thrombolysis Code
Question: How should I code placement of an infusion catheter in the left lower extremit... Read more
Reader Question:
+0079T Extension Prosthesis Gets Defined
Question: What counts as a prosthesis for +0079T? Tennessee Subscriber Answer... Read more
Reader Question:
Amend Documentation the CMS Way
Question: Where can I find CMS directions regarding amending documentation? Georgia ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Solve This Conduit Stenosis Question
Question: Which ICD-9 code applies to RV-to-PA conduit valve stenosis? The conduit requi... Read more
Electrophysiology:
Add-On Codes Are Adding Trouble to 2013 EP Study and Ablation Claims
You have to dig deep to discover allowed primary codes for mapping and programmed stim. ... Read more
Good News for Bilateral 36222-+36228
Medicare’s April update to the Physician Fee Schedule corrects the bilateral statu... Read more
News You Can Use:
Could Dual-Chamber Pacemaker Coverage See Improvements Soon?
Medicare’s reconsidering current policy. Medicare may update dual-chamber pacema... Read more
CPT® 2013:
+92973 Coding Is Limited to Mechanical Thrombectomy
The aspiration thrombectomy question finally gets an answer. The 2013 addition of the ... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
443.9 Will Translate to I73.9 for Next Year's PVD Cases
Check the I73.- range notes to keep up with all excluded diagnoses. When documentation... Read more
Reader Question:
36223 Covers Extracranial With Intracranial
Question: When I would code for a bilateral carotid angiogram in 2012, I would use 36215... Read more
Reader Question:
LC, LD, and RC May Have Been Overlooked
Question: Our Medicare contractor won’t accept modifiers LC, LD, and RC with the n... Read more
Reader Question:
Modifier 52 Plays a Role in Halted Stress Test
Question: During a nuclear stress test, the patient became claustrophobic and needed to ... Read more
Reader Question:
93458 Includes Pre-Op Encounter
Question: Can I report a consult for a heart cath done later that same day when the hear... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Search for Subclavian Stent Code
Question: Is there a code specific to placing a stent in the brachiocephalic or subclavi... Read more
CPT® 2013:
37211-37214 Focus on Initial, Subsequent, and Final Day for Non-Coronary Thrombolysis Coding
Claim checkpoint: Catheter exchanges and follow-up studies are bundled into the new code... Read more
Coding Guidelines:
Polish Your Thrombolysis Claims With These Tips
Caution: The CPT® guidelines may not be where you expect them. To help in the 2013... Read more
Peripheral Vascular:
Streamline Your Selection of the New Non-Coronary Thrombolysis Codes
Remember to watch arterial or venous for first day’s code. In 2013, your coding ... Read more
Vascular Coding:
36226 on Both Sides? Here's What to Do
Plus: Discover which services are reportable in addition to the new cervicocerebral angi... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
I25.10 Is an Inexact Match for Unspecified Cardiovascular Disease
But ICD-10 notes let you know this is the best option once 429.2 is obsolete. Part of ... Read more
Reader Question:
33361 Now Appears in CMS's TAVR Policy
Question: Does the creation of the new TAVR codes change Medicare’s coverage polic... Read more
Reader Question:
33215 Has an MUE of 2
Question: When two electrodes are repositioned (atrial and ventricular), same session, w... Read more
Reader Question:
99304 Is OK for Specialists, Too
Question: Our doctors were asked to consult at a nursing home. They have never gone befo... Read more
Reader Question:
414.01 Answers Native Vessel CAD Question
Question: Based on the documentation for the following scenario, can you please tell us ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Pick the Code for This SPECT Exam
Question: How should I report the interpretation of nuclear images performed for a SPECT... Read more
Medicare:
2013's New PCI Codes Prompt a Key CCI Policy Manual Change
Get the lowdown on coding native vessel intervention followed by a graft service. &nbs... Read more
MPFS:
Don't Expect Medicare Pay for PCI Add-On Codes
 Pay attention to which codes have ‘bundled’ status.    T... Read more
Vascular Coding:
37203 and 75961 Head Out, 37197 Rolls In to Fill the Void
Transcatheter retrieval coding sees a big change in 2013. CPT® 2013 has streamline... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
R01.2 Won't Be Your Only Abnormal Heart Sound Option in 2014
Check to see whether an ‘abnormal heart beat’ code would be more appropriate... Read more
Fee Schedule:
MPPR Cuts 25% Off of the TC of Numerous Cardio Codes in 2013
Identify affected codes by checking for multiple procedure value ‘6.’ C... Read more
Reader Question:
33967 and 33968 Report Same-Day IAB Services
Question: The cardiologist performed selective coronary angiography, and he used an IAB ... Read more
Reader Question:
786.59 Answers 'Atypical' Pain Question
Question: What’s the diagnosis code for "atypical" chest pain? Florid... Read more
Reader Question:
Modifiers LM and RI Join CCI Manual
Question: Which modifiers may be used to override CCI edits? South Carolina Subscribe... Read more
Reader Question:
PMFSH Update Requires Citing Previous Version
Question: Is it OK if the physician reviews a previous PMFSH instead of taking a new o... Read more
You Be the Coder:
92982 With 92980? Code Stent and Angioplasty
Question: For 2012, can you bill for a stent and angioplasty in the same visit if they w... Read more
CPT® 2013 93299 Is Missing From a Key Reprogramming Instruction - Heres Where to Pencil It In
Plus: Check out 4 other cardiology-related corrections to keep your coding on the straig... Read more
MPFS:
92921 Payment? CMS Says Coronary Branch Add-On Codes Are Bundled
Watch for this conflict between CPT® and CMS guidelines. CPT® 2013 overhauled ... Read more
Coding Update:
36221 Leads the Long List of New Carotid and Vertebral Angiography Codes
Training tip: Documentation needs to state where the catheter terminates. You may want... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
416.8 Unfolds Into 2 New Pulmonary Heart Disease Options
Keep a close eye out for ‘secondary’ to ensure you choose the appropriate co... Read more
Reader Question:
+92978 Instruction Gets Updated
Question: Will we be able to report +92978 with the new coronary revascularization codes... Read more
Reader Question:
93998 Captures TCOM Without ABI
Question: I have a report for TCOM, but it doesn’t indicate an ABI was performed. ... Read more
Reader Question:
Retrievable Images Are Key to US Codes
Question: Will you confirm whether printed US images must be present in the medical... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Look for Lexiscan Test Codes
Question: Which codes apply to this case performed in our office? The patient has mitral... Read more
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