Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: The primary procedure was 92504. Can I bill for a foreign body removal under anesthesia for when the otolaryngologist removes an extruded tube?

Texas Subscriber

Answer: Here's how you decide on reporting a tube removal: If the otolaryngologist could have removed the tube without anesthesia, then it is incidental to the main procedure, such as 92504 (Binocular microscopy [separate diagnostic procedure]). In order to bill 69424 (Ventilating tube removal requiring general anesthesia), the patient would have to require general anesthesia in order to remove the tube.