Pathology/Lab Coding Alert
Bill for Touch Preps With Sentinel Node
Question: When performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy, our pathologists often perform touch preps and report the findings to the surgeon intraoperatively. Should we bill for the touch preps and a consultation in addition to the sentinel lymph node biopsy? Tennessee Subscriber Answer: You should report the touch prep as 88161 (Cytopathology, smears, any other source; preparation, screening and interpretation) in addition to the sentinel lymph node biopsy (88307, Level V Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination, sentinel lymph node). Even if the pathologist performs multiple touch prep smears on the sentinel node, report only one unit of 88161 for the service. If the surgeon requests the pathologist's intraoperative touch prep interpretation, and the pathologist reports the findings during surgery, also report 88329 (Pathology consultation during surgery). If the pathologist makes the touch prep but waits to review it and report the findings along with the permanent section examination, do not report 88329 in addition to 88161 and 88307.
Pathology/Lab Coding Alert
- 3 Steps to Improve Your Neck Specimen Coding Skills
Whatever the otolaryngologist excises, the pathologist examines. But coding these sometimes-complex surgical pathology specimens can [...] - Table 1. Coding for Surgical Pathology Head and Neck Specimens
- Want to Improve Iron-Test Pay? Dont Forget Medical Necessity
Your labs serum iron revenues could be anemic if insurers dont know that the patients [...] - Surgical Pathology Neck Specimens:
Get the Level Right
Knowing the organ name is not enough. Although reporting head and neck tissue examination with [...] - Know Serum Iron Studies
Serum iron tests give different diagnostic information, so not all conditions warrant the same lab [...] - No Cervix? Medicare Explains Reporting Pap Smear Screens
At last you can tell the truth when billing Medicare for posthysterectomy screening Pap smears. [...] - You Be the Coder:
No Hidden Rules for Fecal-Occult Blood
Question: Would you please clarify when to use G0107 versus 82270 for fecal-occult blood tests? [...] - Reader Question:
Bill for Touch Preps With Sentinel Node
Question: When performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy, our pathologists often perform touch preps and [...] - Reader Question:
Identify Femoral Head Specimen
Question: How should we report the examination of a femoral head submitted for avascular necrosis? [...] - Reader Question:
Assign Placenta Most Specific Diagnosis
Question: When our pathologists examine placentas submitted due to cesarean or other abnormal delivery, we [...] - Reader Question:
Special Stains Not Clear
Question: Is it possible to get a complete list of stains that we should report [...]
