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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

New for 2006--Navigate Neutron Treatment Codes
CPT splits the atom to create 77422-77423Pay attention to your particles - CPT 2006 serves... Read more
Prepare for Sweeping Changes To Second-Opinion E/M Coding
Plus:  Follow-up consults go through a major shake-upMake a beeline for the E/M secti... Read more
Target 77421 for Stereoscopic IGRT in 2006
ASTRO argues against port film bundleStereoscopic x-ray guidance won the tough battle to h... Read more
Modifier Tip:
Master 25's Latest Documentation Details
Added instruction stresses need for separate servicesYou probably know that you should app... Read more
News You Can Use:
You're Proving Quality-of-Life Care Is Cost-Effective
And bringing in an extra $130 to bootThanks to your demonstration project coding for chemo... Read more
Shift Prostate Screening to Your Accepted Codes List
Don't pass up this PSA ICD-9 listMedicare is giving prostate screening a nod of approval. ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Divide Device Claim With Hospital
Question: For an oncologist working in a hospital, how should I code a complex block, spec... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Double Isodose Codes With Proper Documentation
Question: May I code two separate complex isodose plans for the same date of service if th... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Study Immunotherapy to Report V58.12
Question: The November issue of Oncology Coding Alert described two new encounter codes--V... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Stand Up for Freestanding Tech Fees
Question: What is the proper place-of-service code for a freestanding center?Texas Subscri... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Aspire to Proper FNA Reporting
Question: How should I code my medical oncologist's fine needle aspiration with ultrasound... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Sift Through In Situ Synonyms
Question: My report indicates a -noninfiltrating carcinoma- of the pelvic wall. What is th... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Ponder PET Documentation Do's
Question: What documentation should the oncologist provide for tumor imaging codes 78811-7... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Avoid Neoplasm Table for Myeloma Code
Question: I was unable to find a myeloma diagnosis in the neoplasm table. Am I looking in ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Relax Requirements for History-Taker
Question: My coworker thinks the oncologist must take a patient's history, but I think a n... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Navigate the Neoplasm Table
Question: What's the proper way to code for a patient referred for an MRI of the pelvis to... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Test Your Treatment Planning Knowledge
Question: How should I code for simple therapeutic radiology treatment planning documented... Read more
Banish G Codes in Place of More Specific Antimeoplastic and Initial Infusion Codes
Sneak a peek at the new and revised chemo codes you've been asking forAvoid the New Y... Read more
ICD-9 Ousts Chemo Diagnosis
Are you reporting V58.11, effective Oct. 1?Warning: ICD-9 has replaced V58.1 (Chemotherapy... Read more
E/M With Brachytherapy? NCCI Says, 'Don't Even Think About It'
Your only options are observation, consultation and prolonged servicesGive every brachythe... Read more
Cut Thrugh Red Tape Before Coding CT With PET/CT
Get the facts before joining the office-owned PET machine trendPET scans offer a great too... Read more
Stroll From G Code to CPT With This Easy Infusion Crosswalk
Find out at a glance how your 2006 coding options measure up to 2005Just when you got comf... Read more
Leave 76375 Off Your Tumor Imaging Claims
And for brachytherapy, NCCI gives with one hand and takes with the otherHere's the short l... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Stem Denials With G0267 Substitutes
Question: We-ve always reported G0267 for stem cell services, but one payer recently sent ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Code Chemo? Choose 96542, Not 61026
Question: May I report 61026 for administration of chemotherapy following an Ommaya tap?In... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Wrangle With Remission Coding
Question: In the September Oncology Coding  Alert, you mention that not every cancer ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Pick J2405 for Premixed Zofran
Question: How should I code 32 mg of premixed Zofran in a single-dose container?Tennessee ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Check Date for Follow-Up Claim
Question: Our oncologist saw a patient for a bladder tumor follow-up. The payer denied our... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Dig into Dictionary for Popliteal Mass
Question: What's the appropriate diagnosis code for a left popliteal mass?Georgia Subscrib... Read more
Perfect Your Palliative TherapyDiagnosis Coding
Lung cancer is one of the most expensive to treat, so be sure you know when to apply V66.7... Read more
Turn a Blind Eye to Supervision, Slip Up on Imaging Reports
        Check your documentation for the oncologist's role befor... Read more
3 Tips Ease Your Palliative Care Payment Pains
Talk isn't cheap when choosing E/M codes Many insurers pay for palliative therapy based o... Read more
Count Down to V76.44 Coverage
CMS considers prostate screening pay  Good news: When it comes to prostate screenin... Read more
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Don't Choke on Oral Antiemetic Coding
Take advantage of this chart next time you need to match a code to a drug name Keeping tr... Read more
ICD-9 Alert:
Reporting 276.5 for Dehydration? Not So Fast
New codes for genetic testing also went into effect Oct. 1 Tell your physicians to start ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Count to 5 for 77427
Question: What services should I include in 77427?Connecticut Subscriber Answer: Code 774... Read more
Reader Questions:
Focus on 58954 for Ovarian Cancer
Question: The July issue of Oncology Coding Alert included a surgical example for an ovari... Read more
Reader Questions:
Take Heart: EKG Screening Codes
Question: We perform EKGs on some of our patients to monitor the effect of chemo drugs, li... Read more
Reader Questions:
Pace Yourself on 77470 Claims
Question: My radiation oncologist is treating a patient with a pacemaker. Is there a code ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Jump on G0362 for Second Drug
Question: If our oncologist administers one chemotherapy drug for two hours, then another ... Read more
Drain Away Your Blood Transfusion Confusion With This Expert Advice
Missing out on separately reportable drug reimbursement could have you seeing redBlood tra... Read more
Manage Modifier 25 Troubles to Reap Better Reimbursement
Appropriate ICD-9 codes help prove your case to payersIf your oncologist performs and docu... Read more
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Get a Leg Up on Radiation Oncology Unlisted Procedures
Demonstrating cost savings could be your key to reimbursementAre you ready to throw in the... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Be Found Guilty of Miscoding Clinical Trial
Question: What diagnosis codes should I use on a claim for a patient involved in a clinica... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Prevent 'History of' Denial
Question: If a patient is in remission for ovarian cancer, with no evidence of disease, bu... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
KO Modifier Trouble by Understanding KX
Question: When are we supposed to use modifier KX?Idaho Subscriber Answer: Using KX (Spec... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Master Necessity With Thorough Documentation
Question: We hear a lot about needing to choose an ICD-9 code that proves medical necessit... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Muster Up 77290 Must-Haves
Question: For therapeutic radiology simulation-aided field setting, it seems that we repor... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Limit 61793 to Once per Treatment
Question: Our radiation oncologist participated in a surgery using gamma knife stereotacti... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Conquer Custom Radiation Device Claim
Question: Our patient required a breast board for radiation treatment. We took a standard ... Read more
'G' Whiz! Stick to More Than 4,000 NCCI Injection Code Edits
Bonus: Say goodbye to denial-generating G0354/drug admin bundles Take down that sticky no... Read more
Nix Neoplasm Coding Troubles With These 6 Steps
 Don't count on the ICD-9 neoplasm table to hold all the answers If you code for an ... Read more
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Glide Through Neoplasm Coding With This At-a-Glance Glossary
Understand primary and secondary malignancies before coding biopsies  Next time you ... Read more
Modifier Quiz:
Challenge Your Surgery Skills With This Quick Case Study
Communicate to avoid denials We showed you the nitty-gritty on reporting surgical modifie... Read more
Modifier Quiz Answer:
Challenge Your Surgery Skills With This Quick Case Study
Solution: Don't search out multiple codes for this one procedure - 45126 (Pelvic exenterat... Read more
Reader Questions:
Take a Second Look at Laparotomy
Question: Our physician diagnosed and treated a patient for ovarian cancer. Her tumor mark... Read more
Reader Questions:
Plan 77295 Use Carefully
Question: When can we code a 3-D simulation on the right breast if we use multiple field t... Read more
Reader Questions:
Investigate Reason for Tamoxifen
Question: If a patient completes chemo treatment for breast cancer but now takes Tamoxifen... Read more
Reader Questions:
Verify VBM Codes
Question: Last month you featured common codes for Hodgkin treatments. Would you add a cha... Read more
Reader Questions:
Teach Yourself the Rules for 80 and 82
Question: The oncologist I code for sometimes performs surgery at a teaching hospital. Wou... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Satisfy Special Dosimetry Requirements
Question: Can I report 77331 for calibration of electron cutouts? What are the other condi... Read more
Don't Slash Your Reimbursement With Forgotten Surgical Modifiers
But check the fee schedule before adding -62 or -80 to your claim Surgical oncology invol... Read more
Vocabulary Tip:
Put a Stop to OR Denials
Memorize this definition to skip to the head of the coding class Before you report modifi... Read more
News You Can Use:
Report Bilateral Excisions? CMS Wants to Pay You Less
Plus: A G0354 reporting tip you can't afford to miss CMS has been hard at work coming up ... Read more
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Eliminate the Hassle From Hodgkin's Coding
Keep these common drug codes at your fingertips Use the charts above to quickly look... Read more
Reader Questions:
Don't 'Waste' This Opportunity
Question: One of our patients had an allergic reaction to a drug, causing us to waste near... Read more
Reader Questions:
Code Once per Trial Category
Question: We received a denial for G9022 when we coded it with G0359, J9355, J1200, G9021,... Read more
Reader Questions; Report 57155 for Performance, Not Advice
Question: My radiation oncologist wants me to code for some surgeries in which he talked a... Read more
Reader Questions:
Modify Less Extensive Code With -59
Question: I know that I can use modifier -59 to unbundle codes under the right circumstanc... Read more
Reader Questions:
Educate Payers on Pump Use to Avoid Denials
Question: If we give a patient 5-FU in the office and then send the rest home in a pump, s... Read more
You Be the Coder:
'PICC' Codes Individually
Question: Our oncologist uses central venous catheters to deliver chemotherapy. If he uses... Read more
New CMS Clarification Means You Can Bill G0350 Only Once
And 'push' codes now include infusions of only 15 minutes or lessGood news, oncology coder... Read more
Can You Choose Between 31575 And 92511? We'll Tell You How
The difference between nasopharyngo and laryngoscopy is big bucksIn addition to knowing th... Read more
Think Twice Before Reporting 2 Radiation Treatments per Day
A distinct break in same-day services could mean double the fundsQuick quiz: Your departme... Read more
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Prevent PET Denials With the Proper Diagnosis Codes
Take advantage of CMS' decision to reimburse you for 78811-78816If you use partial, full r... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Watch Your Dehydration Diagnosis Code
Question: How should I code the following scenario for a December date of service (we're s... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Find the Right Trial for Off-Label Payment
Question: I heard that Medicare covers the off-label use of colorectal cancer drugs, but m... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Decide Between Push and Flush
Question: I'm seeing reports that our nurses perform a push of Heparin into a port, draw b... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Check Payers' IVIG Preference
Question: I've heard that we aren't supposed to report immune globulin with J1563 anymore.... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Charge for Dressings
Question: If our nurses change the dressings on catheters a few times a week, can we code ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Treat 77470 as Special
Question: I have a report from a radiation oncologist planning treatment for a patient who... Read more
Put the 'Basic' Back in Basic Dosimetry Calculation Coding
Watch out: Only code once for identical ports Code 77300 often merits multiple units, but... Read more
NCCI 11.1 Update:
Edits Affect IV Push and Chemo Administration Codes
Take notice of these bundles and watch -59 shed new light on your G0354 reporting The lat... Read more
Clarification:
G0356 Not an Initial Chemo Code
The article "You Be the Coder: How Many G Codes Does Demo Project Demand?" in the April 20... Read more
Documentation Boosts Distinct Procedure Reimbursements
Hasty use of '1' may make waste of your -59 claims Modifier -59 may seem like a cure-all ... Read more
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This Tool Can Do All the Talking for Your Modifier Claims
Use a flowchart to learn modifier -59 do's and don'ts  Suppose your physician perfo... Read more
Reader Questions:
Turn to Initial Consult Codes for 2 Admissions
Question: Our oncologist performed an inpatient consult for a patient admitted through the... Read more
Reader Questions:
Incident-To in a Hospital? Not So Fast
Question: Our office's RN sees an established chemotherapy patient with colon cancer for a... Read more
Reader Questions:
Face-to-Face Time Helps Code Prolonged Services
Question: What are the documentation criteria for using prolonged services codes? My oncol... Read more
Reader Questions:
Take All Service Into Account for Dead Patients
Question: Can our oncologist file a claim for pronouncing a patient dead? This sometimes r... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Admission Determines Specific Observation Codes
Question: Another doctor asked my oncologist for a consult with a patient who had been adm... Read more
Part II:
Prostate Brachytherapy From Pre- to Post-Implant Sim
Don't report a liquid radioactive source code for seeds In addition to the initial visit ... Read more
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Code Correctly With Brachytherapy Checklist
Know service level, delivery method before coding When you're reporting prostate brachyth... Read more
Extra E/M Time Not Always a Prolonged Service
Some chemo patients may need more time to review materials When your oncologist spends 80... Read more
News You Can Use:
CMS Clarifies Push/Infusion Issue
Use initial IV push codes for infusions of 30 minutes or less Medicare has made things a ... Read more
If Counseling Extends Encounter, Shelf Prolonged Service Codes
Sometimes, raising the E/M level is the better option In certain cases of longer-than-nor... Read more
Reader Questions:
Pump Refill Code Not for Port Flushings
Question: We recently performed a port flush on a patient with an implanted pump. We repor... Read more
Reader Questions:
Post-Chemo Nausea Med Is Separately Reportable
Question: If we give a Medicare patient an intravenous dose of ondansetron after a chemoth... Read more
You Be the Coder:
How Many G Codes Does Demo Project Demand?
Question: Our office is participating in the Medicare demonstration project for chemothera... Read more
Part I:
Prostate Brachytherapy Coding to Tumor Mapping
Use ICD-9 code 185 for prostate cancer patientsWhen your oncologist evaluates a patient fo... Read more
Report Incident-to Services While the Plan Author Is Away
... if a qualified supervising physician is on-siteMany oncology offices employ at least o... Read more
Chemo Education Often Handled by NPP
NPPs are vital to many offices' chemotherapy 'teams'A qualified nonphysician practitioner ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Prove Critical Care by Filing a Pair of Codes
Question: In the afternoon, our oncologist saw a patient for 30 minutes on the hospital fl... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Discharge From Observation Is Sometimes a 2-Code Affair
Question: A pancreatic cancer patient from our practice reported to the hospital with seve... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Use Phlebotomy Code for Blood Draws
Question: The oncologist took a blood sample from a patient with skin cancer during a foll... Read more
You Be the Coder:
PSA G Code: Is It Solely for Patients Without Systems
Question: My physician saw a Medicare patient with complaints of reduced urination. The ph... Read more
Add Your Fractions Correctly to Avoid Fractured Claims
Be sure oncologist delivers three or more fractions before using 77427 If you don't know ... Read more
Are Your Denial Records Electronic, Paper ... or Both?
 J code quandary led one office on a high-tech quest If your practice received a den... Read more
Put Time on Your Side With E/M Coding
Increase your level of service with concise time documentation A thorough knowledge of ti... Read more
Correction:
Taxotere and Gleevec
The article "Injection Code Smarts Sharpen Chemo Claims" in the November 2004 issue of Onc... Read more
Reader Questions:
Appeal Need: All the Evidence You Can Find
Question: When our office files an appeal, we usually think that we should be including mo... Read more
Reader Questions:
Nasal Endoscopy Requires Accurate ICD-9 Coding
Question: A patient reported to our office last week for a nasal endoscopy. When does a na... Read more
Reader Questions:
Biopsy/Aspirations May Need G Code for Medicare
Question: I have heard that there is a new G code for use with some bone marrow biopsies a... Read more
You Be the Coder:
What Constitutes a Fraction of Care?
Question: I am an experienced coder in other disciplines, but I just began working for an ... Read more
Demo Project Aim:
Added Comfort for Chemo Patients
Participating practices can earn added reimbursement from Medicare CMS is ringing in the ... Read more
Here's Your List of Demonstration Project G Codes
Make sure to enter only 1 code for each assessment category Oncology offices participati... Read more
Know How to Use the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist
Medicare participants: Use form to report chemo symptoms If your oncology practice wants ... Read more
In 2005, Medicare Sends New HCPCS Codes to the Masses
Most oncology offices wait with bated breath for the new CPT book each December, but if yo... Read more
Reader Questions:
Avastin Claims Go Great With J9999
Question: Our office recently began administering Avastin through intravenous chemotherapy... Read more
Reader Questions:
Tech Interpreting Tests? Coding May Be Affected
Question: We have a part-time cytotechnologist on staff who interprets some of our Medicar... Read more
Reader Questions:
Report 1 Code if No Separate Service Occurred
Question: An established patient with throat cancer reported to the office for a diagnosti... Read more
You Be the Coder:
What Constitutes Complex Simulation?
Question: Our oncologists perform simulations on patients before radiation treatments, but... Read more
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