General Surgery Coding Alert

Get ready for new renal catheter placement codes, too.Surgical codes that describe the whole package are becoming the norm, and CPT® 2012 continues the trend. Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter procedures and renal angiography have new codes that combine surgical and imaging services into one neat bundle. Clarify Your IVC Filter OptionsPrepare for an all new way to report IVC filter services, defining the service as insertion, repositioning, or retrieval:37191 -- Insertion of intravascular vena cava filter, endovascular approach including vascular access, vessel selection, and radiological supervision and interpretation, intraprocedural roadmapping, and imaging guidance (ultrasound and fluoroscopy), when performed 37192 -- Repositioning of intravascular vena cava filter ... 37193 -- Retrieval (removal) of intravascular vena cava filter ....Old way: In 2011, you reported IVC filter placement with 36010 (Introduction of catheter, superior or inferior vena cava for catheterization), 37620 (Interruption, partial or complete, of inferior vena cava by suture, ligation, plication, clip, extravascular, [...]