General Surgery Coding Alert

Question: One of our patients had a laparoscopic partial omenectomy. I chose the unlisted code 49329. United Healthcare denied the claim. Was my code choice correct or should I have reported something else?Missouri SubscriberAnswer: Your code choice is correct, assuming United Healthcare hasn't told you to report another code for this procedure. The unlisted 49329 (Unlisted laparoscopy procedure, abdomen,peritoneum and omentum) is the best code since there is no set CPT code for a laparoscopic omentectomy -- partial or total.Both CPT and CMS guidelines specifically instruct providers to use an unlisted procedure code when no available code describes the specific procedure your surgeon performs. More specifically, proper coding practice dictates that if the surgeon performs a laparoscopic procedure and there is no laparoscopic code, you should use the unlisted procedure code for that body area. You should not use a comparable open code. If you want to gain appropriate payment for [...]