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Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Gynecology:

You Deserve Repeat Pap Smear Payment -- Make Certain Your Practice Gets It

Published on Wed Oct 24, 2012

The wrong diagnosis code could cost you $42 per patient. If your patient's Pap smear results return as abnormal or display insufficient cells, the ob-gyn likely will perform a repeat smear. Use proper E/M coding to get the payment you deserve. Pap smear results can return as abnormal for various reasons. Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS), or an inflammatory condition present when the smear was collected can affect the results. If the patient has an inflammation, such as vaginitis (616.10), that affects the results of the Pap smear, the physician likely will treat the condition and perform another smear once the problem has resolved. CPT® does not include a code for taking the Pap, and collection of the specimen is included as part of an E/M service. Therefore, when the patient comes in for a second Pap smear, use the appropriate [...]
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