Cardiology Coding Alert

Question:  I’m not sure that I fully understand the rules regarding code 33289. Can you please help?

Hawaii Subscriber

Answer: CPT^® 2019 added new code 33289 (Transcatheter implantation of wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor for long-term hemodynamic monitoring, including deployment and calibration of the sensor, right heart catheterization, selective pulmonary catheterization, radiological supervision and interpretation, and pulmonary artery angiography, when performed).

“Transcatheter implantation of a wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor (33289) establishes an intravascular device used for long-term remote monitoring of pulmonary artery pressures (93264).” according to the new CPT^® guidelines. “The hemodynamic data derived from this device is used to guide management of patients with heart failure.”

Notes under code 33289 instruct you to turn to another new code 93264 (Remote monitoring of a wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor for up to 30 days, including at least weekly downloads of pulmonary artery pressure recordings, interpretation(s), trend analysis, and report(s) by a physician or other qualified health care professional) to report remote monitoring of an implantable wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor.

Important: You should also never report 33289 in conjunction with catheter codes 36013-36015; angiography codes 75741-75746; fluoroscopy code 76000; right heart catherization code 93451; combined right and left heart catheterization code 93453; catheter placement codes 93456, 93457, 93460, and 93461; catheterization codes for congenital cardiac anomalies 93530-93533; and injection code +93568.

Don’t miss: The 33289 procedure includes right heart and selective pulmonary artery catheterization, placement of the sensor, configuring the sensor pressure ranges (calibration), radiological supervision and interpretation, and angiography (vascular imaging following contrast injection) when performed.