Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Plus: CMS plans March 23rd conference call to educate providers on how to prepare for ICD-10.

New code 90670 (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 13 valent, for intramuscular use) included a lightening bolt symbol next to it in CPT 2010, showing that it had not yet been approved by the FDA. However, on Feb. 23, the FDA confirmed to the AMA that the product was approved, and therefore the "FDA pending" symbol can be removed from the code.

You can also remove the "FDA pending" symbol from codes 90650 (Human Papilloma virus [HPV] vaccine, types 16, 18, bivalent, 3 dose schedule, for intramuscular use) and 90662 (Influenza virus vaccine, split virus, preservative free, enhanced immunogenicity via increased antigen content, for intramuscular use). Both of these codes achieved FDA approval status but the symbol will not be removed from the codes until CPT 2011 is issued.

In addition, the AMA reminds coders that code 90644 (Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, serogroups C & Y and Hemophilus influenza b vaccine, tetanus toxoid conjugate [Hib-MenCY-TT], 4 dose schedule, when administered to children 2-15 months of age, for intramuscular use) does not appear in CPT 2010, but was effective as of Jan. 1, 2010.

Code 90644 will appear in CPT 2011.

To read the AMA's update on the issue, visit www.amaassn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/362/vaccine-codes.pdf.