Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: A patient with difficulty breathing and snoring underwent superficial ablation to treat inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH). We submitted 30999 but the claim was denied. Can you explain which codes should be submitted for ITH and the destruction of the patient’s inferior turbinates?

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: In cases such as this, you need to home in on certain key details to land on the correct code every time. When scouring the medical record, pay attention to which turbinate is being ablated, the method used, and the extent of the tissue destruction.

When the ENT destroys superficial inferior turbinate tissue, report 30801 (Ablation, soft tissue of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method (eg, electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation, or tissue volume reduction); superficial). The appropriate diagnosis code to report for ITH is J34.3 (Hypertrophy of nasal turbinates).

For cases in which the surgeon performs ablation of the submucosal area of the inferior turbinates, use 30802 (… intramural (ie, submucosal)).

Note: It is appropriate to submit 30999 (Unlisted procedure, nose) for cases involving superior or middle turbinate ablation, as there is not a precise code available for those procedures.