Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: During a left/right heart cath, our cardiologist wrote, full O2 oximetry run (8 blood gases). Is there a code for this?

New York Subscriber

Answer: No. Blood gases are considered a component of the right heart cath, says Terry Fletcher, BS, CPC, CCS-P, a cardiology coding and reimbursement specialist in Laguna Niguel, Calif. The introduction to the Cardiac Catheterization section of CPT states that heart caths include obtaining blood samples for measurement of blood gases or dilution curves and cardiac output measurements (Fick or other method, with or without rest and exercise and/or studies) with or without electrode catheter placement. Therefore, this service should not be billed separately.

Other services considered a component of cardiac catheterization include:

Introduction, positioning and repositioning of catheter(s);
Recording of intracardiac and intravascular pressure;
Final evaluation; and
Report of procedure.