Otolaryngology Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
Include Pre Flu-Test Work in E/M
Published on Wed Mar 16, 2005
Question: When an allergist performs the QuickVue Influenza test in the office, may he also bill for acquiring the specimen? To obtain the specimen, the physician takes a swab from the nasal cavity. Answer: CPT doesn't contain a code for taking a nasal-swab specimen. You should consider the work involved in swabbing the nasal cavity as part of the E/M service (99201-99215, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of a new or established patient ...).
New Hampshire Subscriber
Reminder: The QuickVue Influenza test is a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments-waived test. So you must append modifier -QW (CLIA waived test) to the test code (87804, Infectious agent antigen detection by immunoassay with direct optical observation; influenza).
Other Articles in this issue of
Otolaryngology Coding Alert
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Count Acoustic Rhinometry as Function Study
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Question: When should I report 95115 instead of 95117? What other codes are applicable?
Tennessee Subscriber
[...] - Reader Questions:
Include Pre Flu-Test Work in E/M
Question: When an allergist performs the QuickVue Influenza test in the office, may he also [...] - Reader Questions:
Nebulizer, Vaccine Include Inherent Supply
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