Reader Question:
Therapeutic Abortion
Published on Fri Mar 01, 2002
Question: How should I code a therapeutic abortion for lethal fetal anomalies induced by Cytotec induction, including delivery of nonviable fetus?
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.
