Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Master unlisted tissues like 'septum' and 'turbinate' now. Get the code wrong for "sinus stripping" and you stand to lose nearly $43 in pay. With only two CPT-listed nasal-tissue specimens, you're bound to encounter other terminology in your pathology reports. Follow these five steps to make sure you select the proper code and avoid under- or over-charging for your pathologist's service. 1. Differentiate Biopsy From Polyps It's easy when the pathologist uses language that specifically aligns with CPT's nasal tissue specimen codes. "When the pathology report clearly identifies the tissue as nasal polyps or nasal biopsy, you should select 88304 or 88305 accordingly," says R.M. Stainton Jr., MD, president of Doctors' Anatomic Pathology Services in Jonesboro, Ark. CPT assigns two types of nasal tissue to surgical pathology codes as follows: • 88304 -- Level III -- Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination, polyps, inflammatory -- nasal/sinusoidal • 88305 -- Level IV -- Surgical pathology, gross [...]