Palmetto providers: Add this 'history of' code to the list of covered conditions. If your cancer center provides X-ray services, consider this: A chest X-ray's global fee is only $25 or so. Multiply that $25 by the number of services you perform, however, and you'll quickly see how getting these claims right is important to your center's financial health. Below, you'll find essential information for 71010 (Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal) and 71020 (Radiologic examination, chest, 2 views, frontal and lateral), including example services, typical supporting diagnosis codes, and advice on avoiding the most common causes of audit-related denials. A tip to start: Boost Your X-Ray Skills by Understanding Views The key element distinguishing 71010 from 71020 is that the first represents a single "frontal" view and the second represents two views, "frontal and lateral." 71010: National Radiology Group. AP stands for anteriorposterior, meaning the X-rays pass from the anterior(front) to the posterior (back) of the patient. You also may see reference to a "PA view" (posterioranterior), in which the X-rays pass from the back to the front of the patient. The AP view can be more difficult to interpret than a PA view because of quality issues and the way the heart appears enlarged on an AP view. As a result, the PA view usually is preferred over the AP view. You typically will see an AP view when the patient cannot stand for the imaging service. As a result, another term you'll often see connected to 71010 services is "portable," meaning the tech takes the X-ray using a portable machine. You may see this particularly for services performed at bedside, Wonderchek says. Example: 71020: Example: Whittle Down the List of Likely Diagnoses Physicians order chest X-rays for a wide variety of reasons. The potential exam findings also add up to a long list. Consequently, there are many ICD-9 codes that may apply to a chest X-ray claim. Smart move: You also should check for updates to your policies. For example, effective May 26, 2011, Palmetto GBA added V10.3 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm; breast) to the list of codes supporting medical necessity in its LCD for "Radiologic Examination, Chest" (L28298). Some of the other diagnosis codes that Wonderchek frequently links to chest X-rays, per the documentation, include: Keep in mind, you should never choose an ICD-9 code simply because you know it will get the claim paid. You should report only those diagnosis codes supported by the documentation, which in turn must clearly support the reason and intent of the test rendered as documented/ ordered by the physician or other qualified healthcare practitioner.