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Cardiology Coding Alert

CPT® 2016:
Watch for Opportunities to Report New Category III Codes for Cardiology
A handy list of primary codes ensures your myocardial imaging add-on code has a proper m... Read more
CPT^® 2016:
Prevent Prolonged Services Mishaps With Updates on New and Revised Codes
Clinical staff service add-on codes present new possibilities. CPT® 2016 both adds... Read more
CCI Update:
Don't Let Ablation/Duplex Edit Change Lead You Into Trouble
Use caution when considering this modifier indicator change. The Correct Coding Initia... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Pick the Proper Code for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
But beware of choosing this code when the diagnosis is NOS. The one-to-one crosswalk f... Read more
Place of Service:
Solidify Outpatient Claims With Additional Details About New POS 19
Master the definition of campus to avoid errors. You already know that there are chang... Read more
Reader Question:
Refresh Yourself on Consult Rules
Question: An ED physician asked for a cardiology consult regarding a patient’... Read more
Reader Question:
Know Where to Look for Mod 57 Support
Question: The definition of modifier 57 is "decision for surgery," so why do I get no... Read more
Reader Question:
Keep Biventricular Upgrade Coding Simple
Question: The cardiologist removed an existing dual-chamber pacemaker generator, re... Read more
Reader Question:
Combine MPI 2-Day Services Into 1 DOS
Question: We sometimes use a two-day protocol for resting and stress SPECT scans. S... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Size Up 7th Character Options for Restenosis
Question: We have a question regarding the seventh character on in-stent restenosis c... Read more
CPT® 2016:
Capture CCM System Services With 'Early Release' Codes 0408T-0418T
Get a grip on the guidelines with three examples. If you’re researching coding f... Read more
ICD-10:
Add Atherosclerosis With Rest Pain to the List of Diagnoses Requiring You to Pick a Side
Include these artery/extremity/issue bullets in your clinical documentation improvement ... Read more
Skill Sharpener:
3 Tips Help You Keep Priorities in Focus During ICD-10 Transition
Remember the big picture as you work on documentation and coding accuracy. With ICD-10... Read more
News You Can Use:
Delay in Pacemaker NCD Leaves Decisions to Your Local MAC
Stay tuned for more details from CMS. CMS announced a temporary delay in implementing ... Read more
Reader Question:
Locate Pacemaker/ICD Fluoro Guideline
Question: I know I saw something about reporting fluoro with pacemaker insertion, b... Read more
Reader Question:
Code for Capillary Stick May Not Pay
Question: Which code applies to blood collection by capillary stick? Maine Subscr... Read more
Reader Question:
Seek Out Graft's Coronary Connection for Modifier
Question: Do I need to use a coronary vessel modifier for angioplasties and stents ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Remember Documentation Rules for Echo With Ablation
Question: I am researching the use of 93312 before an EP AFib ablation to rule out a ... Read more
CPT® 2016:
Be Ready for IVUS, Valve Implant, and More Code Changes to Start the New Year Right
Don’t skimp — Review Cardiovascular, Nervous System, Radiology, and Medicine... Read more
News You Can Use:
Prepare to Use POS 19 for Off Campus Outpatient Hospital Services
You’ll have the option of using this new code in the new year. In 2015, you use ... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Count Days to Comply With I23.-MI Complication Code Rules
ICD-10 offers more specific options than ICD-9 for myocardial infarction sequelae. Tra... Read more
E/M Coding:
2 Tips Take Your F2F Office Prolonged Services Coding Up a Notch
Document time — and the reason for the time — to support reporting these cod... Read more
Reader Question:
Check Palmetto's Coumadin Policy
Question: Where do Coumadin and amiodarone fall in the E/M medical decision making ... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand What Femoral/Popliteal Territory Includes
Question: How should I code one angioplasty in the femoral artery and one in the po... Read more
Reader Question:
Watch for Exceptions to PM/ICD Global Period
Question: Are there E/M services I can report separately during the global period f... Read more
Reader Question:
Distinguish Angiography Code G0278 From 75710
Question: Can you clarify when to use G0278 instead of 75710 alongside a cardiac cath... Read more
Reader Question:
Know When to Add 99211
Question: My doctor heard we can report 99211 with 85610 for prothrombin time check... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Don't Get Fooled by This Doppler Echo Report
Question: How should I code the following report for 2D and spectral Doppler echo? ... Read more
Coding Challenge:
Try Your Hand at 4 Cardiac Cath Scenario Questions
See if you can catch every applicable modifier. Coding a claim requires a big picture ... Read more
News You Can Use:
CMS's 'Clarifying Questions and Answers' Is a Must Read to Boost ICD-10 Understanding
Wonder no more about ‘family of codes’ for Part B reporting purposes. CMS ... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
3 Characters in ICD-10 Take the Place of Syncope Code 780.2
Check out the Excludes1 note to keep your coding on track. Learning ICD-10’s rep... Read more
Audits:
Prioritize Place of Service Coding or Risk OIG Scrutiny
Don’t make this $10,000 angioplasty mistake. In a recent audit, the OIG found th... Read more
Modifiers:
Append Modifier GA to Show You've Got ABN Requirements Under Control
Not sure how modifiers GA and GZ differ? Issuing the ABN is the key. Distinguishing th... Read more
Reader Questions:
Ensure Proper Payment by Using 93970 for Bilateral
Question: Does it matter whether we report 93971-LT, 93971-RT for a service instead... Read more
Reader Questions:
Code EP Components in Rare Cases
Question: How should I bill for a ventricular stimulation and right ventricle recor... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Take This Multi-Part Pacemaker Challenge
Question: How should I code this? The cardiologist replaced a dual-lead pacemaker g... Read more
Medical Records:
Perfect Your Practice's Dual-Chamber Pacemaker Insertion Documentation Using This Checklist
One template trap could cause problems down the road. If documentation woes are leadin... Read more
CPT® 2016:
Abdominal Aorta Ultrasound Screening May Appear in CPT® in January
New options are in the works for transcatheter infusion and Cat. III, too. You learned... Read more
News You Can Use:
Get the Scoop on How CMS Will Handle ICD-10 Claims the First Year
Choosing from the ‘right family’ of codes is the key. CMS and AMA made a j... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Look Beyond I20.0 for Unstable Angina Under the New Code Set
One-to-one code crosswalks aren’t always what they seem. Knowing the variety of ... Read more
Modifiers:
Take the Fear Out of Coding Team Procedures With 3 Modifier 62 Tips
The fee schedule can help point you in the right direction. You need to watch for surgeri... Read more
Reader Questions:
Review CPT® Guidelines for Bifurcation Lesions
Question: What are kissing balloons, and what’s the rule on reporting them in... Read more
Reader Questions:
Expect External Cause Code Use to Stay the Same
Question: It seems like a lot of the ICD-10 code examples we see are about external... Read more
You Be the Coder:
How Many Codes Cover This EP Case?
Question: How do I report an electrophysiology (EP) study that indicates pacing from the... Read more
CPT® 2016:
Prepare for These 7 Possible Cardiology-Related Changes
Your IVUS coding could be in for an overhaul. While the October change to ICD-10 is gr... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Train for Tripled Edema Options Under the New Code Set
Check the index to keep fluid retention coding on track. The next time you code edema,... Read more
CPT® 2015:
Turn to 0387T-0391T for Leadless Pacemaker Insertion and More
You won't find these codes in your code book, but they were effective Jan. 1, 2015. If yo... Read more
Reader Questions:
Choose Correct DOS for CCM
Question: If we report chronic care management, what’s the date of servi... Read more
Reader Questions:
Turn to 796.2 for White Coat Hypertension
Question: Is “white coat hypertension” a covered diagnosis? If so, what... Read more
Reader Questions:
Include Fluoro in 37187
Question: Our physician did angioplasty and vacuum thrombectomy of the inferior ven... Read more
Reader Questions:
Indicate Distinct Nature of ECG
Question: If the cardiologist performs an ECG and decides the patient needs a stres... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Capture Catheterization Codes
Question: Our cardiologist performed the procedure (abbreviated) below for a patien... Read more
Compliance:
Factor These 5 Areas Into Your CCI Game Plan for Cardiology Coding Success
ECMO, TEE, and cardiac devices come under the spotlight in the latest edits. The most ... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Put Palpitation Coding Questions to Rest With This Clear Crosswalk
Leave this code off the claim if you have a more specific diagnosis at hand. Coding for p... Read more
CPT® 2015:
Add This Advance Care Planning Advice to Your Skill Set
If you counsel patients on health care proxy issues, check payer coverage. Advance care p... Read more
Imaging:
Get Back to Basics With These Ultrasound Essentials
Focus on 4 main requirements for successful reporting. Imaging services, including ult... Read more
Reader Questions:
Check Reason for Generator Change
Question: Which diagnosis code should I use for a pacemaker battery change when the b... Read more
Reader Questions:
Determine Role for Chemical Cardioversion Coding
Question: Which code should I report for chemical cardioversion using ibutilide inf... Read more
Reader Questions:
Turn to 93880 for Carotid Doppler
Question: I just started working at a cardiology practice with a superbill that lis... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Assign Proper Endoleak Code
Question: The patient had endovascular repair of a descending thoracic aorta aneury... Read more
Peripheral Vascular:
Combine CPT® and LCD Rules to Get Your EVAT Coding Off on the Right Foot
Pinpoint the method to avoid a $340 mistake. If you’re one of the cardiology pra... Read more
Catheterization:
Understand 93503's Purpose So Your Reimbursement Doesn't Take a Dive
Don’t overlook opportunities to report Swan-Ganz catheterization. When your card... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Look Beyond R00.0's Descriptor for Proper Tachycardia Coding
Count on the index to keep your coding for sinus tachycardia on the right path. Under ... Read more
Reader Questions:
+93462 Is OK With Combined RHC/LHC
Question: Why does the cardiologist perform a transseptal puncture during a combine... Read more
Reader Questions:
Memorize Definition of 'Multiple Lead' Pacemaker
Question: How should I bill for interrogation of biventricular pacemakers with one ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider XU for Diagnostic Study With Angioplasty
Question: How should I report the procedures below from an antegrade approach for lim... Read more
Reader Questions:
Stop Before Reporting S1 Intervention Using Add-On
Question: Per CPT® the LAD includes the diagonals as branches. Can you bill sep... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Set Yourself Up for Facility SPECT Success
Question: The cardiologist interpreted SPECT Cardiolite images, rest and stress, fo... Read more
CPT® 2015:
Update Your ECMO/ECLS Coding With New Percutaneous Cannula Service Codes and More
Watch out for bundles that apply to the individual AND the team. Extracorporeal membra... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Expect Switch From 'Subendocardial Infarction' to 'NSTEMI' Under New Code Set
I21.4 will become your go-to code for nontransmural MIs. Cardiology coders can look forwa... Read more
Counseling:
Ace Tobacco Cessation Coding Using These 3 Case Studies
Decipher the math involved in counting covered sessions. A variety of factors influence h... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand Services That Support +93567
Question: My understanding is that the provider needs to inject at the aortic root an... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Report Test 1 If Poorly Done
Question: Our physician ordered an abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound, 76775, but... Read more
Reader Question:
Make the Most of Multispecialty Visits
Question: I work in a practice that has multiple specialties such as cardiology, or... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Conquer WPW and Tachycardia Under ICD-10
Question: How should I report Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and nodal tachycardia under... Read more
HCPCS 2015:
Don't Base Adenosine Coding on Diagnostic or Therapeutic Use in 2015
Your new code option will change how you calculate units, too. Cardiologists may use a... Read more
Practice Management:
Follow This Step-by-Step Approach to More Effective Audits
Simple, stratified, cluster … learn the lingo of random sampling. If you’... Read more
ICD-10-CM:
Rheumatic Aortic Stenosis Keeps Its Complicated Coding Rules Under ICD-10
Don’t use I06.0 when the mitral valve is also involved. ICD-9 and ICD-10 each have ... Read more
Modifiers:
Medicare Says Modifier 59 Is OK for Now
But keep your eyes peeled for X {EPSU} guidance coming soon. The coding world has been bu... Read more
News You Can Use:
File Interventional Cardiologist Claims With NGS? Read This
You'll have a little extra work to do to enroll using the new specialty code. NGS has off... Read more
Reader Question:
Move Payment Modifiers to First Position
Question: I started coding a long time ago, and I wondered whether you still have t... Read more
Reader Question:
G0389 Referral Opportunities Got Wider
Question: One of my coworkers said the AAA screening no longer has to be ordered du... Read more
Reader Question:
Base Coronary Intervention Coding on Vessel
Question: Is there a modifier I can use to report both angioplasty and stent placem... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Don't Miss Any Dobutamine Stress Test Codes
Question: Which codes should I use for a dobutamine stress echo with spectral and c... Read more
Coding Hints:
Follow These Tips to Make Your Way to Spot On Caval Filter Manipulation Coding
Can you report repositioning with insertion? Here’s the rule. When you report an... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Meet These 4 Challenges to Eradicate Errors in Septic Embolism Coding
Check for location and underlying cause for embolism; differentiate arterial and pulmonary... Read more
Using Scribes:
Adopt These Practices to Structure the Scribe Program for Your Practice
Do not ignore documentation guidelines; the physician’s signature is a mandate. ... Read more
Reader Question:
Always Limit to 1 Unit of 92928 per Encounter?
Question: Can we report two units of 92928 for two stents that our physician insert... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Watch the Bundle In 93505 And 93451
Question: Our physician did an endomyocardial biopsy. Can we submit code 93451 and ... Read more
CPT® 2015:
Open Up Carotid Artery Stent Coding Options
Don’t separately code angioplasty. When your cardiologist places an intravascula... Read more
ICD-10:
Right, Left, Bilateral Options Expand Carotid Artery Stenosis Choices
433.10 leads to more choices. When your cardiologist performs angiography, catheter... Read more
Modifier Update:
Greet 4 New X{EPSU}Modifier Options in 2015
Don’t rely on 59 for every distinct service. When your cardiologist legitimately... Read more
Medicare Billing:
Use CERT Findings to Buttress Your Claims
Focus on E/M, pacemakers. You would be aghast if your cardiology practice had a 35.1 p... Read more
Reader Question:
See How Physicians Can Discuss PHI
Question: Our cardiologist wants to talk to another physician about a patient&rsquo... Read more
Reader Question:
85610 Works for Coumadin Monitoring
Question: A patient with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is on Coumadin for blood thin... Read more
Reader Question:
Update Your ICD Codes With CPT® 2015
Question: In looking through the code changes for 2015 that impact our practice, I ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Bundle Same Vascular Family and Approach
Question: Can I bill 36215 and 36216 together for a first and second order thoracic... Read more
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