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Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Differentiate 59812 and 59820 With This Tip

Published on Sun Sep 25, 2005

Question: What is the difference between codes 59812 and 59820? I am trying to bill a dilation and evacuation (D&E) in the operating room for incomplete spontaneous abortion.


Tennessee Subscriber
Answer: You should use 59812 (Treatment of incomplete abortion, any trimester, completed surgically) for the surgical removal of an incomplete spontaneous abortion. The method can be either a D&C (dilation and curettage) or a D&E (dilation and evacuation). The patient was already aborting the fetus, but not all of the products were expelled, so the physician had to  remove them surgically.

You should use 59820 (Treatment of missed abortion, completed surgically; first trimester) for the surgical removal of a missed abortion - meaning the fetus died in utero and the ob-gyn decided to remove it surgically.
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