Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: I’m having issues with the CCI edits bundling other bronchoscopies with the two new EBUS codes for 2016. Our pulmonary providers usually perform other broncho procedures with the EBUS, so now we are confused as to whether we only bill one code versus other codes. Can you help?

Utah Subscriber

Answer: CPT^® code 31652 (Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with endobronchial ultrasound [EBUS] guided transtracheal and/or transbronchial sampling [e.g., aspiration(s)/biopsy(ies)], one or two mediastinal and/or hilar lymph node stations or structures) is a new 2016 code for bronchoscopy that includes endobronchial ultrasound to biopsy suspicious lesions in the respiratory tract or aspirate fluid for diagnostic analysis. During this procedure, the provider uses fluoroscopy to guide advancement of the endoscope and passes an ultrasound transducer through the bronchoscope to guide the biopsy or aspiration.

This code is for one or two lesions or samples and includes imaging guidance, so imaging should not be reported separately.