Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert
Diagnosis for New Eyeglasses
Question: When we prescribe new eyeglasses only, should we use a diagnosis of 368.8? What if we didn't prescribe anything? Oklahoma Subscriber Answer: Code 368.8 (Visual disturbances; other specified visual disturbances) is a symptom code for blurred vision. You should use a symptom code only if the patient reports the complaint, you document it, and you do not have a definitive diagnosis at the end of the examination. If no medical condition exists and the patient simply wanted new glasses, report the diagnosis for the refractive error (367.x, Disorders of refraction and accommodation) and not the symptom with the appropriate office-visit (99201-99215) or eye code (92002-92014). Most medical insurance plans would not cover the service. A vision plan would cover such a service if it was rendered within the allowable time frame (e.g., once a year, or once every two years). A patient with no vision plan is responsible for the charges.
Ophthalmology and Optometry Coding Alert
- Use Eyelid Modifiers (-E1, -E2, -E3, -E4) for Three Procedures
Reviewed on May 18, 2015 Coders are often confused about when to use the eyelid [...] - Coordinate Co-Management Care With Modifiers -54 and -55
Ophthalmologists and optometrists often work together caring for cataract surgery patients and must use modifiers [...] - News Brief:
CMS Announces OPT Not Covered for Occult Lesions
On March 28, 2002, CMS announced that ophthalmologists cannot use 67221 (Destruction of localized lesion [...] - You Be the Coder:
IOL Placement
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Exercise Caution When Billing Scanning Laser With Visual Fields
When you examine a glaucoma patient, some carriers limit additional diagnostic procedures. They may object [...] - Reader Question:
Bilateral GDX
Question: How should we bill for GDX testing when performed bilaterally? Ohio Subscriber
Answer: You [...] - Reader Question:
Prosthesis Implantation
Question: Our physician inserted a retinal prosthesis. How should I code this procedure? Florida Subscriber [...] - Reader Question:
Multiple Xanthelasma Removal
Question: Our physician removed xanthelasma from all four lids. There was extensive muscle dissection the [...] - Reader Question:
Diagnosis for New Eyeglasses
Question: When we prescribe new eyeglasses only, should we use a diagnosis of 368.8? What [...] - Reader Question:
Postsurgery Astigmatism
Question: How should I code surgically induced astigmatism? California Subscriber Answer: The correct ICD-9 code [...] - Reader Question:
Office Visit and Refraction
Question: A Medicare patient comes in for a medical examination, and we also perform a [...] - Reader Question:
No Foreign Body
Question: Which diagnosis code should we use when a patient comes in with a foreign-body [...] - Reader Question:
Levator Resection
Question: What is the code for a levator resection? New Jersey Subscriber Answer: For an [...]
