Radiology Coding Alert

Question: When I report 93880, may I report 93875 and 93886, too, if the physician performs all three? And when I report 93970, may I also report 93965? Or are these services bundled? Pennsylvania Subscriber Answer: Although Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits don't bundle the code combinations you mention, that doesn't mean payers will consider performing the services together medically necessary. Case in point: Highmark, Pennsylvania's Medicare contractor, published local coverage determination (LCD) L27504, "Non-Invasive Cerebrovascular Arterial Studies." The LCD states that "it is usually unnecessary to perform more than one type of physiological study on the same anatomic area." If the radiologist must perform a second test because the first isn't interpretable, the LCD instructs you to report only the successful test. Also, Highmark will rarely reimburse 93875 (Noninvasive physiologic studies of extracranial arteries, complete bilateral study [e.g., periorbital flow direction with arterial compression, ocular pneumoplethysmography,  Doppler ultrasound spectral [...]