Primary Care Coding Alert

Question: Can our physician's office bill a syringe code with a vaccine administration code to non-Medicare/Medicaid providers? Also, may I report nebulizer supplies such as the mask, mouthpiece, and tubing with a nebulization?New Jersey Subscriber Answer: Unfortunately, the answer is "no" to both of your questions. You should not code a syringe (e.g. A4206, Syringe with needle, sterile, 1 cc or less, each; A4208, Syringe with needle, sterile 3 cc, each) in addition to vaccine administration. You also shouldn't bill a mask (e.g. A7015, Aerosol mask, used with DME nebulizer) or mouthpiece (A4617) and tubing (A4616,Tubing [oxygen], per foot]) with a nebulization (94640, Pressurized or nonpressurized inhalation treatment for acute airway obstruction or for sputum induction for diagnostic purposes [e.g., with an aerosol generator, nebulizer, metered dose inhaler or intermittent positive pressure breathing [IPPB] device).Why: The practice expense (PE) component of the relative value units for vaccine administration codes and the nebulizer treatment code already includes [...]