Cardiology Coding Alert
Learn How to Code Intracatheter Procedure
Question: With the patient under local anesthesia, my provider made a small incision in the patient’s skin. They inserted the intracatheter into an artery and guided it to the area of focus. How should I report this? AAPC Forum Participant Answer: Report 36140 (Introduction of needle or intracatheter, upper or lower extremity artery) on your claim. Intracatheter defined: An intracatheter is a plastic tube attached to a needle. Your provider will remove the needle once the catheter is in place. An intracatheter is used to instill medications, fluids, and contrast material and may also be used to monitor pressure in an artery. Coding tip: Never report 36140 in conjunction with percutaneous arteriovenous fistula creation codes 36836 or 36837.
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