Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

CCI 17.1:

65756 Update: Include Injections in DLEK, DSEK Coding

Virtually all of the nerve block injection codes are now bundled into endothelial keratoplasty.Is your ophthalmology practice in the habit of billing for anesthesia injections along with endothelial keratoplasty (EK) procedures? Effective April 1, 2011, you'd better think before you code, according to version 17.1 of the Correct Coding Initiative (CCI).Non-mutually exclusive edits apply to services that a physician might perform during the same care session but that aren't billable together. This is because one of the codes (the Column 2 or component code) is included in the services represented by the Column 1 (comprehensive) code of the pairing. You can bill individual components if the physician does not perform the entire comprehensive procedure.But if the physician performs the entire (comprehensive) procedure, you are required to bill the comprehensive code instead of the individual parts or components, says Maggie Mac, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CMM, ICCE, Director of Network Oversight for [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles in this issue of

Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert

View All