Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Question: My gastroenterologist wants me to bill photo documentation along with an EGD. Can I bill for photo documentation? What CPT® should I use?Mississippi SubscriberAnswer: You cannot bill for photo documentation, only for the appropriate EGD procedure (i.e., 43235, Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing [separate procedure]). When physicians take pictures during an EGD, you should consider the photo documentation part of the diagnostic procedure. Other supplies and services you should deem part of a surgical procedure include:cleansing, shaving, and prepping of skin;draping of patient, positioning of patient;insertion of intravenous access for medication; sedative administration by the physician performing the procedure;local, topical or regional anesthetic administered by the physician performing the procedure;surgical approach, including identification of anatomical landmarks, incision, evaluation of the surgical field, lysis of simple adhesions, isolation of neurovascular, [...]