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Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Non-Bleeding Varices Treatment: Reserve 43244 For Band Ligation Method

Published on Mon Oct 10, 2011

Question: How do you bill for the gastro banding procedure code 43244? Illinois SubscriberAnswer: CPT 43244 (Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; with band ligation of esophageal and/or gastric varices) is just one of several codes you could use to report treatment of esophageal and/or gastric varices. Others include 43255 (Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; with control of bleeding, any method), which you would use when the gastroenterologist treats bleeding varices with endoscopic sclerotherapy or band ligation, and 43243 (Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach, and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; with injection sclerosis of esophageal and/or gastric varices), which you would use to report the injection of sclerosis treatment into non-bleeding varices.If the gastroenterologist uses band ligation to treat bleeding varices, you will do best to code 43244. You would [...]
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