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Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Photodynamic Therapy:

Tips Make Your PDT Coding Hassle-Free

Published on Fri Jun 10, 2011

Bill all three or get a denial: supply, injection, and illumination.Coding for photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves three key components, which means you should look into multiple CPT® codes to describe your claim appropriately. But this could jeopardize your claims for these procedures if you're not careful of PDT's time increments and restrictive coverage guidelines.Check out these tips so as not to lose your way into the complexity of PDT multiple coding.Claim Drug Supply With J9600Usually, gastroenterologists use PDT as a palliative treatment for esophageal cancer patients who experience difficulty in swallowing caused by the tumor. Physicians also perform PDT as non-surgical treatment for Barrett's Esophagus with high grade dysplasia complications (although still considered experimental by most carriers).What goes on during PDT: Patients receive an injection of photoactive drug (porfimer sodium), which is absorbed in the tissues, including cancerous or precancerous cells. While this drug disappears from most healthy tissue, it [...]
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