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Cardiology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

37201 Is One Unit for Multiple Days

Published on Tue Aug 07, 2012

Question: On day two of thrombolytic therapy, the physician performs RHC, removes the therapeutic catheter, and re-evaluates and re-measures the pulmonary artery pressures. How should I code this?Codify MemberAnswer: Removal of the therapeutic catheter is a part of the thrombolytic therapy (37201, Transcatheter therapy, infusion for thrombolysis other than coronary), which you should report only once per field even if the catheter is in place for multiple days. Watch for: In some cases, providers will check the catheter by angiography periodically (12 hours, 18 hours, 24 hours, etc.), only adjusting the existing catheter from point A to point B but not removing it. When this is the case, you should report 75898 (Angiography through existing catheter for follow-up study for transcatheter therapy, embolization or infusion) once per session when performed. If the catheter is exchanged with a new infusion catheter and the infusion is continued, you may report 37209 (Exchange [...]
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