Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question: I thought that the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) reversed its bundle for septoplasty (30520)/rhinoplasty (30400) and nasal stenosis repair (30465). Payers are still denying the septoplasty and/or rhinoplasty. Should I appeal these denials, or should I rebill these claims using a modifier?

Arizona Subscriber

Answer: When your otolaryngologist performs a septoplasty (30520, Septoplasty or submucous resection, with or without cartilage scoring, contouring or replacement with graft) and/or rhinoplasty (30400, Rhinoplasty, primary; lateral and alar cartilages and/or elevation of nasal tip) with nasal stenosis repair (30465, Repair of nasal vestibular stenosis [e.g., spreader grafting, lateral nasal wall construction]), you may now report the higher-valued procedure - the nasal stenosis repair - rather than the lower-valued operation - the septoplasty and/or rhinoplasty. NCCI 8.2, effective July 2002, reversed but did not delete the septoplasty/rhinoplasty and nasal stenosis repair bundle. The edits previously included the higher-valued nasal stenosis repair code (30465) in the lower-valued procedure(s) (30520, 30400). NCCI 8.2 corrected the bundle.