Otolaryngology Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Bilateral Endoscopy
Published on Mon Apr 01, 2002
Question: Can we bill 31237 bilaterally? We have been billing only unilaterally.
Florida Subscriber
Answer: Yes. Diagnostic endoscopy codes (including 31237) and endoscopic sinus surgery codes can be billed with modifier -50 (Bilateral procedure) if both sinuses are scoped. The only exception is endoscopy code 31231 (Nasal endoscopy, diagnostic, unilateral or bilateral [separate procedure]), because the code explicitly states unilateral or bilateral. It may be possible to retrieve some of the payment you have been losing by resubmitting the claims. Many carriers allow you to rebill procedures performed as far back as six months.
Other Articles in this issue of
Otolaryngology Coding Alert
- Turbinectomy:
Medical Necessity Must Support Billing Separately From Ethmoidectomy
Otolaryngologists often report difficulties billing turbinate procedures with endoscopic ethmoid sinus surgery. Although these two [...] - Related Services Definition Critical to Coding Post-Op Services
Procedures can be "related" in different ways. For example, Medicare considers treatment of a complication [...] - You Be the Coder:
Office Visit Based on Time
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Caldwell-Luc Surgery Can Be Billed with FESS and Bilaterally
With the advent of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), most sinus patients no longer require [...] - Reader Question:
LAUP and Medicare
Question: How should we code laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) on sleep apnea patients?
[...] - Reader Question:
Follow-Up Consult vs. Subsequent Care
Question: Our otolaryngologist consulted a plastic surgeon on a patient who sustained facial fractures in [...] - Reader Question:
Bilateral Endoscopy
Question: Can we bill 31237 bilaterally? We have been billing only unilaterally.
Florida Subscriber
Answer: Yes. [...] - Reader Question:
Cholesteatoma Removal
Question: How should I code excision of a cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal (EAC)?
Nevada [...] - Reader Question:
Foreign Body in Earlobe
Reviewed on May 21, 2015
Question: How should we code an incision to [...] - Reader Question:
Hearing Perception Diagnosis
Question: Our otolaryngologist performed audiometric testing on a patient with a hearing problem. The test [...]
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