Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Watch out: The 'T' in TC may not stand for what you think. In recognition of National Women's Health Week (May 9-15), give your breast cancer chemotherapy coding a check-up. Below are details on coding several common regimens that include chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide, and some breast neoplasm ICD-9 essentials to boot. Keep in mind: In the world of chemotherapy drug coding, you should "never assume anything. You could be wrong," warns Shelly Noll, CPC, who works in oncology, hematology, and radiation for Rockwood Clinic in Spokane, Wash. If you can't tell by the notes what a drug is, an auditor can't either, says Noll. That could set you up for audit trouble, so you want to be sure the documentation and coding are first rate. Assess Lengthy Cyclophosphamide Code Range If you turn to the table of drugs in your HCPCS manual, you'll see a large range of coding options [...]