Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: Following a septoplasty to remove a septal spur, the surgeon performed an inferior turbinate reduction. I am trying to interpret the operative report to determine whether this should be coded as 30801, 30802, or 30930. The report states that the surgeon “performed an inferior turbinate reduction with the coblator bilaterally, outfracturing the inferior turbinates.”

Colorado Subscriber

Answer: This certainly qualifies as an inferior turbinate reduction, so you can immediately rule out 30930 (Fracture nasal inferior turbinate(s), therapeutic) as an option since 30930 bundles into 30802 (Ablation, soft tissue of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method (eg, electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation, or tissue volume reduction); intramural (ie, submucosal)) with a modifier “1” status and has a modifier “0” status with 30801 (Ablation, soft tissue of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method (eg, electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation, or tissue volume reduction); superficial).

You’ll be considering two sets of services:

• 30801 (Ablation, soft tissue of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method (eg, electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation, or tissue volume reduction); superficial)
• 30930 (Fracture nasal inferior turbinate(s), therapeutic).

You will not consider reporting 30802 (Ablation, soft tissue of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method (eg, electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation, or tissue volume reduction); intramural (ie, submucosal), since there is no documentation that the surgeon incised the mucosa in order to reach the intramural tissue. However, you’ll notice when performing a National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI, or CCI) edit check that 30801 has a modifier “0” status with 30930. You will bundle the column 2 code, 30930, into 30801.