Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Question: How should we report the technical and professional components of electrocardiogram (ECG) services?

Virginia Subscriber
 
Answer: When an in-office machine reports ECG results, and your oncologist issues and interprets a report, you should assign 93000 (Electrocardiogram, routine ECG with at least 12 leads; with interpretation and report). This code represents a complete ECG, which includes performing an ECG, producing a report, and interpreting results.

If the oncologist doesn't perform all services, such as tracing or interpretation, don't rely on modifiers to distinguish between technical and professional services. For instance, you should not attach modifiers -TC (Technical component) and -26 (Professional component) to 93000.

Instead, you should pick either 93005 (... tracing only, without interpretation and report) for the technical component or 93010 (... interpretation and report only) for the professional service.

-- Answers to Reader Questions and You Be the Coder were reviewed by Linda L. Lively, MHA, CCS-P, RCC, CHBME, founder and CEO of American Medical Accounting and Consulting in Marietta, Ga.