Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: If our pathologist performs intra-operative touch preps on two separate breast biopsies, one from the left and one from the right breast, should we report 88333x2 or 88333 and 88334?

California Subscriber

Answer: You should bill the pathologist's two touch preps in this case as 88333 (Pathology consultation during surgery; cytologic examination [e.g., touch prep, squash prep], initial site) x2.

Recognize 'specimen': Your case involves two distinct specimens: a right breast biopsy and a left breast biopsy. Code 88333 describes the initial touch prep for a unique specimen. Because you have two distinct specimens, you should code 88333 for the first touch prep from each specimen.

On the other hand, +88334 (... cytologic examination [e.g., touch prep, squash prep], each additional site [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) describes a touch prep from an additional site (location) from the same specimen.

For example: If the pathologist consulted on a single breast excision by taking a touch prep from two uniquely identified margin sites, you would code 88333 and +88334.