General Surgery Coding Alert
Watch for Specifics When Selecting Biopsy Code
Question: Our surgeon performed a diagnostic laparoscopy with biopsy for multiple liver lesions. Would 47370 be the correct choice for this procedure? Maryland Subscriber Answer: Code 47370 (Laparoscopy, surgical, ablation of one or more liver tumor[s]; radiofrequency) is likely not correct in this instance. The descriptor for 47370 stipulates ablation by radiofrequency -- while your question makes no mention of radiofrequency and stresses biopsy for study rather than outright destruction or removal (which is the effect of ablation). The surgeon can achieve the same results using cryosurgery (47381, Ablation ... cryosurgical), but this procedure doesn't fit your description any better. For a simple diagnostic laparoscopy, your best code choice is 49321 (Laparoscopy, surgical; with biopsy [single or multiple]). This code specifies "single or multiple," so you would report a single unit of 49321 regardless of the number of liver lesions the surgeon biopsies.
General Surgery Coding Alert
- Shave Your Claims Mistakes:
Not Every Removal Is an Excision
Tip: Skip margin calculations for 11300-11313 When reporting shaving of epidermal or dermal lesions as [...] - Revalidation Requires Your Attention -- Now
Medicare can pull billing privileges for noncompliance All practices billing Medicare should act now to [...] - Ask 11 Questions to Assess Your Revalidation Compliance
1. Is the provider's Medicare correspondence address on file current and reliable? If not, the [...] - CCI Quick Update:
Unna Boot Faces New Bundles
The latest version of the Correct Coding Initiative (14.1) introduces several new bundling edits involving [...] - You Be the Coder:
ICD-9 and CPT Link Closely for Burns
Question: In the emergency department (ED), our surgeon saw a 9-year-old girl with blistering burns [...] - Reader Questions:
Approach Is Crucial for Fistula Repair
Question: I find two codes in CPT for repair of ileoanal pouch fistula/sinus that differ [...] - Reader Questions:
Smallest Margin Measurement Matters for Excision
Question: I am confused regarding how to determine lesion size when coding for excisions. For [...] - Reader Questions:
Watch for Specifics When Selecting Biopsy Code
Question: Our surgeon performed a diagnostic laparoscopy with biopsy for multiple liver lesions. Would 47370 [...] - Reader Questions:
Zoom In on 'Targets' Before Coding Sedation
Question: An established 64-year-old patient complaining of rectal pain and abdominal cramps reports to the [...] - Reader Questions:
Consider Timing, Location, Intent for Skin Biopsy
Question: How do I know when to report skin biopsy separately with, or in place [...] - News in Brief:
CMS Proposes Big ICD-9 Changes
Proposed changes to ICD-9-CM for 2009 call for the greatest number of revisions in more [...]
