Reader Question:
Laminaria Removal
Published on Thu Mar 01, 2001
Question: Can I bill 57415 when removing laminaria in the operating room that had been inserted the day before a second-trimester pregnancy termination?
Michigan Subscriber
Answer: Code 57415 (removal of impacted vaginal foreign body [separate procedure] under anesthesia) would not be appropriate in this circumstance. It would be highly unlikely that a payer would accept the premise that a laminaria placed the day before the pregnancy termination was an impacted vaginal foreign body. Simply bill the surgery (probably 59855 for induced abortion) and consider removal of the laminaria part of the exam and prep work involved in the procedure.
