Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Get out your favorite red pen to delete, add instructions to your new book.

If you're scratching your head about some of the items that you feel the new CPT manual is missing -- or including -- you aren't alone. Check out these changes you need to make to the 2013 CPT manual, which you most likely just received within the past week or two.

For example, 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.

In addition, 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 31622-31651.

You'll also want to tidy up the parenthetical language in CPT's Cardiography section, which currently says, "For electrocardiogram, 64 leads or greater, with graphic presentation and analysis, use 93799." However, you should strike 93799 from the book and replace it with codes 0178T-0180T.

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