Outpatient Facility Coding Alert

Published on Mon Jan 07, 2013 PDF

CPT® 2013 just released, but you already need to note some changes.

Now that the CPT^® 2013 manual has been available for a few weeks, you might be wondering about some items you feel are missing, or questioning some of the included items. If so, answers are nearby. Check out two changes you need to make to your manual to ensure correct coding in 2013.

Example 1: In the CPT^® section regarding respiratory endoscopic surgery to the trachea and bronchi, a current parenthetical note states, "For endoscopy procedures, code appropriate endoscopy of each anatomic site examined. Surgical bronchoscopy always includes diagnostic bronchoscopy when performed by the same physician. Codes 31622-31649, 31651, 31660, 31661 include fluoroscopic guidance, when performed."

The code list at the end should be changed to the new range of 31622-31651, 31660, and 31661, which include fluoroscopic guidance.

Example 2: You’ll want to correct the bronchoscopy codes listed with the illustration of a bronchoscopy. Currently, the CPT^® manual directs you to 31622-31646, but in reality that should say 31622-31661.

To read the complete list of errata, visit the AMA Web site at www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/CPT/CPT-corrections-errata.pdf.