Otolaryngology Coding Alert

One of CPT 2010's initiatives is to move several codes typically performed together into one code. Check out these new audiology testing codes and understand the rationale before Jan. 1 hits.

For instance, if your physician performs a vestibular evaluation in 2010, you will report new global code 92540 (Basic vestibular evaluation, includes spontaneous nystagmus test with eccentric gaze fixation nystagmus, with recording, positional nystagmus test, minimum of four positions, with recording, optokinetic nystagmus test, bidirectional foveal and peripheral stimulation, with recording,and oscillating tracking test, with recording).

Note the code descriptor describes "four different things are being done, with recording," says Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CENTC, CHCC, president of N.J.-based CRN Healthcare Solutions.

Example: If your audiologist performs spontaneous, positional, ptokinectic and oscillating nystagmus testing, you would report only the "bundled" code (92540). Parenthetical instructions following each of the component codes (92541-92545) confirm this principle. The same rationale applies to the deletion of 92569 (Acoustic reflex testing; decay), which physicians usually perform following tympanometry and threshold testing.

To avoid constantly reporting procedures individually that you normally perform in a group, CPT 2010 deletes 92569 and combines the test into 93570 (Acoustic immittance testing, includes tympanometry [impedence testing], acoustic reflex threshold testing, and acoustic reflex decay testing). Therefore, you should not separately report the tympanometry or the acoustic reflex testing.

Additionally, you'll have a new tympanometry code to implement next year: 92550 (Tympanometry and reflex threshold measurements). Notice how this code differs from existing code 92567 (Tympanometry [impedence testing]).