Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Not all sample specimen retrievals are the same. You may know that CPT® contains specific codes to describe both fine needle aspiration (FNA) and percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB), but do you have the difference between these procedures down pat? Don't make the mistake of reporting an otolarynogologist's specimen sampling with a surgery code. Here's the lowdown on how you should code each. Aspiration Doesn't Equal Biopsy You must recognize that you should use different codes for FNA and PNB. Unfortunately, your otolaryngologist's notes may make telling what procedure he performed difficult. For instance, you may be wondering, "What is the difference between fine needle aspiration biopsy and percutaneous needle biopsy?" Physicians may use biopsy as a universal term to mean that they took a sample of a specimen. If your otolaryngologist is in this habit, you may miscode his procedures. Better method: Encourage your physician to reserve biopsy for a [...]