Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Question: We heard that Medicare pays for 77331 only once per treatment. But we thought we could bill the code once per week. Which is correct?

West Virginia Subscriber

Answer: You should report 77331 (Special dosimetry [e.g., TLD, microdosimetry] [specify], only when prescribed by the treating physician) once per treatment course for each port the physician measures or per volume of interest if the physician measures a cumulative dose. The reporting frequency should be between one and six charges in total for the course of therapy.

Generally, you use this code when the physician checks the dosimetry at a point in a treatment port that's outside of the treatment planning system and calibration's normal calculation parameters. The physician uses the dose measurements to either accept or revise a treatment plan. Documentation requires a dated and signed physician order for each procedure.