Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: At the end of a left heart catheterization, the cardiologist performed a unilateral lower-extremity angiogram as part of placing the vascular plug in the access site. May I report the angiogram? Utah Subscriber Answer: No. You should not report this lower-extremity angiogram separately. Here's why: The National Correct Coding Initiative Manual, Chapter 11, states that a "provider should not report an associated imaging code such as CPT code 75710 or HCPCS code G0278" when placing "an occlusive device such as an angio seal or vascular plug into an arterial or venous access site after cardiac catheterization or other diagnostic or interventional procedure" (www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalCorrectCodInitEd/). Watch out: The manual also states that the correct code for placing the plug at the access site is G0269 (Placement of occlusive device into either a venous or arterial access site, post surgical or interventional procedure [e.g., angioseal plug, vascular plug]). But you'll find that [...]