General Surgery Coding Alert

You should include radiologic S&I in stenting 
 
Get ready now for two new-for-2005 stenting codes, 0075T (Transcatheter placement of extracranial vertebral or intrathoracic carotid artery stent[s], including radiologic supervision and interpretation, percutaneous; initial vessel) and +0076T (... each additional vessel).
 
Come Jan. 1, these codes will oust existing category III codes for IDE trials of carotid artery stenting:

0005T - Transcatheter placement of extracranial cerebrovascular artery stent(s), percutaneous; initial vessel

+0006T - ... each additional vessel (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

0007T - Transcatheter placement of extracranial cerebrovascular artery stent(s), percutaneous, radiological supervision and interpretation, each vessel. The old way: In 2004 you would have reported 0005T for the actual placement of the stent initial vessel, plus 0007T for the radiological supervision and interpretation of the procedure, says Happiness Miller, RN, an auditor with the cardiac catheterization lab in Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky. "Then if an additional vessel of that nature was also done at the same case, you should report 0006T, plus 0007T would be reported, and so on," she adds.
 
The new way: In 2005, you will have to contend with 0075T and 0076T. "It appears that the radiological supervision and interpretation has been built in with the procedure itself," Miller says.
 
"T" codes represent emerging technology, services, and procedures. They may evolve into a category I code, depending on usage, clinical efficacy, and FDA approval. After five years, the codes either graduate to category I or receive approval to continue their status as information collectors in category III.