Radiology Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

No Kidding-Report 2 Codes for Kiddiegram

Question: What's the proper way to report a babygram or kiddiegram? We can't decide if we should use one or two CPT Codes.


Kansas Subscriber
Answer: Your payer can tell you for sure, but the American College of Radiology (ACR) holds that you should be able to report both 71010 (Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal) and 74000 (Radiologic examination, abdomen; single anteroposterior view).

A babygram or kiddiegram is usually a single radiograph showing one view of the chest and one view of the abdomen of an infant. Definition: "Infant" typically means a patient who is less than 366 days old.

The ACR argues for reporting both 71010 and 74000 because it's more difficult to interpret a baby's chest and abdomen examinations than it is to interpret a similar study on an older child, such as the procedure for 76010 (Radiologic examination from nose to rectum for foreign body, single view, child). The answers for You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were reviewed by Jackie Miller, RHIA, CPC, senior consultant with Coding Strategies Inc. in Powder Springs, Ga.; and Gary S. Dorfman, MD, FACR, FSIR.
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles in this issue of

Radiology Coding Alert

View All