Cardiology Coding Alert

Good news: You've got a new code for declotting with a thrombolytic agent It's official: The American Medical Association (AMA) has released the list of CPT 2008 codes, and it's up to you to learn these five cardiology-specific areas of change. Beat the holiday rush by deciphering the new cardio codes before Jan. 1 hits. 1. Master New Cardiac MRI Codes CPT 2008 deletes cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) codes 75552-75556 and replaces them with eight new codes. "This will affect us the most," says Yvette Hofmeister, CPC, a cardio coding analyst at OSU Internal Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. Old way: Codes 75552-75556 divided cardiac MRI into three groups including MRI for morphology, function (with or without morphology), and velocity flow mapping. New way: The new codes cover cardiac MRI for both morphology and function: • 75557 -- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for morphology and function without contrast material • 75558 -- ... with flow/velocity quantification • 75559 -- ... with stress imaging • 75560 -- ... with flow/velocity quantification and stress • 75561 -- Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for morphology and function without contrast material(s), followed by contrast material(s) and further sequences • 75562 -- ... with flow/velocity quantification • 75563 -- ... with stress imaging • 75564 -- ... with flow/velocity quantification and stress. Notice: The first four codes cover cardiac MRI without contrast material, and the second batch of four includes cardiac MRI "without contrast material(s), followed by contrast material(s) and further sequences." Each group of four further divides into plain cardiac MRI, cardiac MRI with flow/velocity quantification, cardiac MRI with stress imaging, and cardiac MRI with both flow/velocity quantification and stress imaging. What this means to you: You'll have to pay more attention to how your doctor documents cardiac MRI in 2008 to make sure you're coding for further sequences, stress imaging and other additional services, when applicable. 2. Capture Access Device With 4 Codes
When your cardiologist performs a procedure that involves a vascular access device, a venous access device, or a wireless physiologic sensor, you'll need to refer to four new codes. Declotting by thrombolytic agent: You can report declotting by a thrombolytic agent, or implanted vascular access device or catheter, using new code 36593 (Declotting by thrombolytic agent of implanted vascular access device or catheter). Blood specimen: When your doctor collects a blood specimen, you'll have two new codes. For collection from a completely implantable venous access device (VAD), use 36591 (Collection of blood specimen from a completely implantable venous access device). Code 36592 (Collection of blood specimen using established central or peripheral catheter, venous, not otherwise specified) covers collection from an established central or peripheral venous catheter, which is "not otherwise specified." [...]