Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: My cardiologist inserted a central venous access catheter in the patient’s internal jugular vein to administer medication to a 10-year-old patient. The catheter’s tip terminated in the subclavian. What code should I report for this service?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: You should report 36556 (Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; age 5 years or older) for this service.

The patient’s age is key to code selection here. For example, if your provider performed the same service on a patient younger than five years old, you would report 36555 (Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; younger than 5 years of age) instead.

The type of catheter is also important to code selection. For example, in your situation, the catheter is non-tunneled. On the other hand, if your cardiologist had inserted a tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter without a subcutaneous port or pump in your 10-year-old patient, you would report 36558 (Insertion of tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter, without subcutaneous port or pump; age 5 years or older).