Cardiology Coding Alert
Same Specialty, Same Day, Don't Code
Question: We have a "moonlighter" cardiologist who will admit a patient at 2 a.m. for one of the doctors off-call, and when that doctor returns to call at 7 a.m., he will then go see his patient. The first cardiologist reported an admit and consult. Since this is technically the same day, what should the second cardiologist bill?
Georgia Subscriber
Answer: If both cardiologists are in the same group and visit the patient for the same diagnosis, the second physician cannot submit a claim. The rules state that you cannot report for the same specialty on the same day for the same patient. CPT illustrates that the code definitions for the admit codes (99221-99223) are "per day." In other words, these codes include all of the care provided on that calendar date.
Cardiology Coding Alert
- On the Cutting Edge:
Alert Your EPs of Medicare's Criteria Changes for 33249
Follow this expert advice on adjusting your documentation to avoid audits
Your chances of attaining adequate [...] - You Be The Coder:
Include Radiological S&I
Question: I know that CPT considers the common femoral and superficial femoral two vessels, but [...] - Forget Appeals and Forego Denials With New ICD Criteria
Throw out your old QRS requirements and arm yourself with these new elements
You can master [...] - Be Careful Reporting Stent and AAA Repair 'T' Codes
You've got a batch of edits to learn, but you can use a modifier
[...] - Are You Next on the Feds' List?
If more than 35 percent of your ICDs are dual-chamber, you could be raising a [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Be Sure About the Kind of Echo
Question: My cardiologist wants to perform a bi-ventricular optimization echo interrogation with programming in the [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Same Specialty, Same Day, Don't Code
Question: We have a "moonlighter" cardiologist who will admit a patient at 2 a.m. for [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Look to the Word 'Electrode(s)' for 33234, 33235
Question: In the February 2005 Cardiology Coding Alert, the "You Be the Coder" scenario states [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Equate Good Practice With Return
Question: I have been reporting 76937 for ultrasound access during a heart cath. If we [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Determine Units by Dosage
Question: If we're supposed to report J1245 per 10-unit increment and the technician injects 31.1 [...]
