Echocardiography:
Master Coding for Multiple TEEs
Published on Sun Jul 25, 2010
Proceed with caution when you're tempted to report 93314 twice. CMS's Medically Unlikely Edits suggest that reporting two transesophageal echocardiograms (TEEs) on the same date for a single patient is OK. But proving necessity for that second TEE is easier said than done. In last month's issue, "Tackle Proper TEE Coding for Cleaner Claims" covered when to use the codes specific to congenital anomaly cases, as well as the roles of modifiers 26 (Professional component) and TC (Technical component). Now take a look at what to do when documentation points to multiple TEEs on a single date. Prepare to Support Billing Multiple TEEs You may bill a TEE more than once per day when new indications or symptoms warrant the additional TEE at a separate session, says Christina Neighbors, MA, CPC, CCC, ACS-CA, charge capture reconciliation specialist and coder with St. Joseph Heart & Vascular Center in Tacoma, Wash. For [...]
