Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: What code combination should I use for maximum reimbursement for the following procedure: The physician inserted a stent in the proximal saphenous vein graft; he stented the saphenous vein graft to the distal portion of the graft and performed a successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to the posterior descending artery (PDA) with reestablishment of the distal flow.

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: To answer this question correctly, more information regarding the stent procedures is required. Were the stents in the grafts placed in the PDA vessel? If so, CPT code 92980 (Transcatheter placement of an intracoronary stent[s], percutaneous, with or without other therapeutic intervention, any method; single vessel) is the only code you can report for the procedure you describe. If the stents to the grafts were inserted in different, separate vessels, you would report different code(s), depending on which vessels the physician stented.