Gastroenterology Coding Alert

At the end of its 2000 legislative session, the United States Congress extended the benefit of colonoscopy screenings to average-risk patients. As part of the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Benefits, Improvements and Protection Act (H.R. 5661) passed on Dec. 21, 2000, a screening colonoscopy will be covered for average-risk beneficiaries at a frequency of every 10 years or four years after the latest screening flexible sigmoidoscopy. The benefit goes into effect on July 1, 2001.

At the time of this release, there has been no indication from Medicare as to what HCPCS, CPT or ICD-9 codes should be used to report this service. Gastroenterology Coding Alert will keep its readers up-to-date.