Cardiology Coding Alert

Transcatheter retrieval coding sees a big change in 2013.

CPT^® 2013 has streamlined your coding for intravascular foreign body removal. Effective January 1, you no longer need to report separate codes for retrieval and radiological guidance. One code will do the trick.

The new all-in-one code is 37197 (Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body [e.g., fractured venous or arterial catheter], includes radiological supervision and interpretation, and imaging guidance [ultrasound or fluoroscopy], when performed).

Code 37197 replaces these two deleted-in-2013 codes:

37203, Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body (e.g., fractured venous or arterial catheter)

75961, Transcatheter retrieval, percutaneous, of intravascular foreign body (e.g., fractured venous or arterial catheter), radiological supervision and interpretation.

Reason: The intravascular foreign body retrieval procedure and the related supervision and interpretation (S&I) codes were flagged for review by the RUC Relativity Assessment Workgroup, which "reviews codes reported together more than 75% of the time," said Sean P. Roddy, MD, FACS, of the Society for Vascular Surgery and a CPT^® Advisory Committee member, in the "Vascular Surgery and Interventional Radiology" presentation at the AMA’s CPT^® and RBRVS 2013 Annual Symposium. The conclusion was that combining the services in a single code, rather than separating surgical from S&I, would line up with current clinical practice.