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Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Be Careful Using 59200 for Cervidil Induction

Published on Mon Oct 27, 2003

Question: When a patient goes in for induction with Cervidil, the ob-gyn is often not sitting with the patient, and we have been coding 59200. Is this correct?

Georgia Subscriber Answer: Code 59200 (Insertion of cervical dilator [e.g., laminaria, prostaglandin] [separate procedure]) is correct only if your physician inserted the Cervidil.
 
Code 59200 is a standalone procedure. It is not like IV induction codes such as 90780 (Intravenous infusion for therapy/diagnosis, administered by physician or under direct supervision of physician; up to one hour) and +90781 (... each additional hour, up to eight [8] hours [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]). These codes require that the physician spend some time with the patient, while the drip is going. Cervidil is a one-time procedure: It is inserted, and then the physician can walk away. As long as he or she inserted the Cervidil and as long as it was inserted the day before delivery (seeing as labor induction on the same date of delivery is included in the delivery code), you can bill 59200.
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