Unlock Payment for Screening to-Diagnostic Colonoscopies
Published on Sat Nov 28, 2009
Polyp treatment will affect your CPT code choice, but not necessarily the dx. Even veteran general surgery coders struggle with the challenge of properly coding a screening-turned-diagnostic colonoscopy. Plus, if you aren't aware of the diagnosis coding pitfalls involved in colonoscopy coding, your job becomes even more difficult. Good news: If you remember a few key points you'll be sure to pick the correct procedure and diagnosis codes every time. Stick to G Codes for Screening Only If your surgeon performs a screening colonoscopy for a Medicare patient, choose between two G codes: G0121 (Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual not meeting criteria for high risk) for an average-risk patient receiving a screening colonoscopy, or G0105 (Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual at high risk) for a high-risk patient. You'll use these G codes "when the doctor is performing strictly a screening colonoscopy," emphasizes Joseph A. Lamm, office manager for [...]
