Ob-Gyn Coding Alert
Therapeutic Abortion
South Carolina Subscriber
Answer: For medical management of an abortion that was not surgical in nature, you simply code for the E/M service in the hospital.
If the medical management failed, you could also report 59812 (Treatment of incomplete abortion, any trimester, completed surgically).
Note that the delivery code can only be reported if the fetus is more than 20 weeks/0 days old.
In this case, the abortion was induced by cervical dilation; therefore, 59855 (Induced abortion, by one or more vaginal suppositories [e.g., prostaglandin] with or without cervical dilation [e.g., laminaria], including hospital admission and visits, delivery of fetus and secundines) may apply if vaginal suppositories were given.
If the abortion was then incomplete and required surgical intervention, 59856 (... with dilation and curettage and/or evacuation) would be reported instead.
Ask the physician which one of these scenarios fits the situation.
Ob-Gyn Coding Alert
- Coding for Urogynecological Surgeries Demands Precise CPT Terminology, Documentation
" Urogynecological procedures are performed often in response to complications following total hysterectomies and other [...] - Identifying Procedural Approach Key to Coding Breast Biopsies
Although CPT 2002 introduced specific new codes for fine needle aspiration (FNA), those codes didn't [...] - You Be the Coder:
Bundling Riddle
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - News Brief:
President Gives Carriers Extra Year to Comply with HIPAA
Those private carriers that do not recognize CPT, HCPCS or ICD-9 codes will have an [...] - Reader Question:
Labial Reduction
Question: A 15-year-old patient was diagnosed with clitoromegaly and labial enlargement. An incision was made [...] - Reader Question:
Intravenous Anesthesia
Question: How should we code for intravenous use of Valium, Lidocaine and Demerol?
New York Subscriber [...] - Reader Question:
Non-Medicare Pap Smears
Question: How should I code Pap smears for non-Medicare patients?
New Jersey Subscriber
Answer: All [...] - Reader Question:
Medicares High-Risk Categories
Question: Please explain more about coding for Medicare's high-risk categories for screening Pap and pelvic [...] - Reader Question:
Therapeutic Abortion
Question: How should I code a therapeutic abortion for lethal fetal anomalies induced by Cytotec [...] - Reader Question:
Loop Procedure
Question: One of our doctors performed a loop electrode excision procedure (LEEP) to remove a [...] - Reader Question:
External Cephalic Version
Question: My physician performed a successful external cephalic version on a patient who is 37.5 [...] - Reader Question:
Postpartum Repair
Question: A patient was taken to the operating room postdelivery to repair a vaginal sulcus [...]
