Cardiology Coding Alert

Take advantage of edit deletions --3 months of denials add up at $36 a pop. Correct Coding Initiative 15.1 adds more than 300,000 edits, but the most exciting news for cardiology coders is among the deletions -- which means good news for remote device check claims. Heres what you need to know about the key deletions effective April 1. CCI Ousts Erroneous 93296 Edits CCI has deleted two edits that the Heart Rhythm Society referred to as a major error (www.hrsonline.org/Policy/CodingReimbursement/reimbursement/ncci_edit_error_remote_codes.cfm). These edits, part of the January 2009 CCI 15.0 release, created roadblocks to properly coding professional and technical services for the new remote device checks,says Sarah Tupper, CMC, coder for Central New York Cardiology in Utica. The codes: The edits prohibited billing technical code 93296 (Medicare national rate of roughly $36) with professional service codes 93294 ($37) and 93295 ($66): " Professional: 93294 --Interrogation device evaluation(s) (remote), up to [...]