Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Throat Coding:

Bust 4 Myths to Breathe Easy When Submitting Tracheotomy Claims

Beware separate-procedure status of planned tracheostomy. If you're making assumptions about how to report tracheostomy procedures, you could be costing your practice precious dollars. To ensure this won't happen to you, let our experts guide you through these four steps to master tracheostomy coding. Myth #1: A Planned Trach is No Different than an Emergency One. CPT makes a primary distinction between "planned" and "emergency" tracheostomy, and therefore you must determine which of these conditions best describes the procedure when selecting a code. So what's the difference? "An emergency procedure is just that," says M. Tray Dunaway, MD, FACS, CSP, a surgeon, author, speaker and coding educator with Healthcare Value Inc. in Camden, S.C. "Essentially, the patient is immediately imperiled if the physician doesn't perform the procedure." In other words, the patient's airway is so compromised that he is already obstructed or may obstruct at any moment. Use common sense: [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Which Codify by AAPC tool is right for you?

Call 844-334-2816 to speak with a Codify by AAPC specialist now.