Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: When my otolaryngologist performs a parathyroid transplantation, what code should I use?

Oregon Subscriber

Answer: You should report +60512 (Parathyroid autotransplantation [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) with no modifier -51 (Multiple procedures). Because the parathyroid transplantation code is an add-on code, you don't need to append modifier -51 to 60512 to indicate a multiple procedure.
 
Be careful: Make sure you list 60512 in addition to the primary procedure.
 
For instance, an otolaryngologist performs a total thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection and excises and reimplants a portion of the cancer patient's thyroid. Report the total thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection as 60252 (Thyroidectomy, total or subtotal for malignancy; with limited neck dissection). Assign 60512 for the autotransplantation.

 - Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Andrew Borden CCS-P, CPC, CMA, reimbursement manager in the department of otolaryngology and communication sciences at Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee; Lee Ann Greenough, CPC, a certified otolaryngology coder at North Fulton ENT Associates in Roswell, Ga; and Jessica Loyd, billing manager at ENT Center in Denver.