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ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Reader Questions:

Don't Turn Your Nose Up at These FBR Codes

Published on Tue Sep 28, 2010

Question: A patient reports to the ED with a crayon stuck in his left nostril. The physician performs an expanded problem focused history and exam, noting the airway patency; she then performs a lung exam to evaluate for aspiration and wheezing. The  physician removes the crayon using small forceps. Is this an ED E/M service, or does this work warrant a procedure code? Iowa Subscriber Answer: The child requires an Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)-mandated screening exam to check for any other injuries, as well as an evaluation for complications of the foreign body insertion. Report a procedure code as well as an E/M code for your physician's services. On the claim, report the following:30300 (Removal foreign body, intranasal; office type procedure) for the foreign body removal (FBR)99282 (Emergency department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key components: an expanded [...]
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