Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: The physician supervised the patient during exercises on a submaximal treadmill. The physician recorded the patient’s blood pressure readings and monitored the electrocardiograph at regular intervals to analyze the electrical activity of the heart. The provider then interpreted the data and reported any abnormality detected in the results. Which CPT^® code should we report for this procedure?

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: You should report 93015 (Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with supervision, interpretation and report) for this stress test. You should report 93015 for the complete service.

On the other hand, you should report 93016 (... supervision only, without interpretation and report) if the cardiologist performs the supervision only — the professional component only. You would report 93017 (... tracing only, without interpretation and report) for the technical component — the tracing only. You would report 93018 (... interpretation and report only) for the interpretation and report only.

Don’t miss: Since 93015 represents the technical and professional components of the service, you should not append modifier 26 (Professional component) or TC (Technical component).