Cardiology Coding Alert
Delve into New Codes 33285 and 33286
Question: I am new to cardiology coding and don’t fully understand the new coding guidelines for new codes 33285 and 33286. Could you please help me out? Nebraska Subscriber Answer: CPT® 2019 added an entirely new section labeled “Subcutaneous Cardiac Rhythm Monitors.” In this section, CPT® added new codes 33285 (Insertion, subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, including programming) and 33286 (Removal, subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor). To go along with these new codes, CPT® 2019 has also added new coding guidelines. These guidelines basically define what subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitors are. “A subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor, also known as a cardiac event recorder or implantable/insertable loop recorder (ILR), is a subcutaneously placed device that continuously records the electrocardiographic rhythm, triggered automatically by rapid, irregular and/or slow heart rates or by the patient during a symptomatic episode,” according to the guidelines. “A subcutaneous cardiac rhythm monitor is placed using a small parasternal incision followed by insertion of the monitor into a small subcutaneous prepectoral pocket, followed by a closure of the incision.” Deletions: CPT® 2019 deleted codes 33282 (Implantation of patient-activated cardiac event recorder) and 33284 (Removal of an implantable, patient-activated cardiac event recorder).
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