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Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Report 31623 Once per Session

Published on Fri Jan 02, 2004

Question: Can I bill for multiple bronchoscopy brushings and biopsies when the pulmonologist performs the procedures in different lobes or lungs?

Michigan Subscriber Answer: You can report bronchoscopy brushing as 31623 (Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, with or without fluoroscopic guidance; with brushing or protected brushings) only once per session. No add-on code exists to report additional lungs.
 
Previously, you could only report biopsies once per session, as well. This year, however, CPT revised codes 31628 (... with transbronchial lung biopsy[s], single lobe) and 31629 (... with transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy[s], trachea, main stem and/or lobar bronchus[i]) to identify biopsies in one lobe. You may report biopsy services in different lobes with the add-on codes +31632 (... with transbronchial lung biopsy[s], each additional lobe [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) and +31633 (... with transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy[s], each additional lobe [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]).
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