Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: If the attending physician performs a fetal pulse oximetry in the hospital while the patient is in labor, is this included in the global fee, or is there a code that can be billed in addition to 59400 (Routine obstetric care ...)?

Louisiana Subscriber

Answer: Usually, fetal pulse oximetry is part of the global package, but you should try billing the payer with the new Category III CPTcode0021T(Insertion of trans-cervical or transvaginal fetal oximetry sensor) to see if they will pay for this still-investigational procedure. This new type of CPTcode has been published on the AMAWeb site and appears in CPT2002 just before Appendix A. From now on, if your physician performs a procedure that is described by one of these alphanumeric codes (you will probably see them referred to as CPT"T" codes as a shorthand in the future with the "T" referring to "temporary"), you need to report it on the claim even if the payer does not pay for it. The AMAhas said these codes should be used in lieu of an unlisted-procedure code.