Cardiology Coding Alert

Hint: Avoid coding more than once for a vessel's sub-branchesDid you absorb all the intracoronary stent coding advice from "Prevent Unbundling and Underreporting of Intracoronary Stent Coding With 4 FAQs" on page 57? See how you fared coding these four scenarios.Answer 1: You'd report 92980-RC (Transcatheter placement of an intracoronary stent[s], percutaneous, with or without other therapeutic intervention, any method; single vessel; right coronary, or RCA) and the "each additional vessel" code, +92981-LD (... each additional vessel [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]; left anterior descending). This scenario took place in two different vessels -- the right coronary and the left descending -- so you'd report the two codes. You should not use modifier 51 (Multiple procedures).Answer 2: You should use only 92980. You won't be reimbursed for any additional codes for the angioplasty of the LAD sub-branches because they are all part of the same major coronary artery.Answer 3: You would report 92980-LD to describe the stenting, single vessel, of the LAD and 92981-RC to describe the stenting, additional vessel, of the RCA. You shouldn't include a separate code for the RCA angioplasty. Most payers will consider this part of the stenting procedure that the cardiologist eventually performed on that artery.Answer 4: Did you include a code for the atherectomy in the LAD? You shouldn't have. You should report only 92980-LD and 92984-LC. The atherectomy of the LAD is a lesser procedure than the stenting one, so you shouldn't include it on your claim.