Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Question: Can I report CPT 45380 and 44388 together?

Minnesota Subscriber

Answer: Yes, if your physician had to perform two procedures to view the entire colon -- say, due to an obstruction -- you can code both 45380 (Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic flexure; with biopsy, single or multiple) and 44388 (Colonoscopy through stoma; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing [separate procedure]).

The Correct Coding Initiative doesn't bundle these codes, and the "separate procedure" reference in 44388 refers to other codes with the same parent -- in other words, other colonoscopies performed through a stoma.