Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: I need to report home prothrombin time testing for a patient with femoral venous embolism and thrombosis (453.41). Why doesn't Medicare cover this? Texas Subscriber Answer: Good news -- Medicare recently announced that it will add 453.41 (Venous embolism and thrombosis of deep vessels of proximal lower extremity) and a few other diagnoses to the covered list. The details: Change Request (CR) 6313 corrects CR 6138, "Prothrombin Time (PT/INR) Monitoring for Home Anticoagulation Management," by adding ICD-9 codes that CR 6138 omitted: • 451.11 -- Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis; of deep vessels of lower extremities; femoral vein (deep) (superficial) • 451.19 -- ... other (includes femoropopliteal,popliteal, and tibial vein) • 451.2 -- ... of lower extremities, unspecified • 451.80-451.89 -- ... of other sites • 453.40-453.42 -- Venous embolism and thrombosis of deep vessels of lower extremity • 415.12 -- Pulmonary embolism and infarction; septic pulmonary embolism. Reminder: Under the policy, the patient has to first [...]