Reader Questions:
Beware Breast-Plus-Lymph Pitfall
Published on Fri Nov 20, 2020
Question: The op report documents excision of the left upper-outer breast quadrant and a complete left axillary lymphadenectomy. Should we code this as 19301 plus 38745 because it is a complete lymphadenectomy? Oklahoma Subscriber Answer: You should not bill this case as 19301 (Mastectomy, partial (eg, lumpectomy, tylectomy, quadrantectomy, segmentectomy) and 38745 (Axillary lymphadenectomy; complete). Instead, you should code this [...]