Urology Coding Alert

Hint: If you can't prove the request for an opinion, don't use 99251-99255. When another physician calls your urologist into the operating room, do you automatically assign a consultation code to that service? If so, now's the time to stop. In Urology Coding Alert Vol. 11, No. 9, you read the answers to the top three consultation coding questions. If your urologist frequently gets called into the OR by other surgeons, you may still have some lingering questions. Here's what you need to know about intra-operative consultation services. Determine What Warrants an Intra-Operative Consult Another surgeon may request an intra-operative consultation from your urologist to evaluate an unexpected urological problem or complication that occurred during his surgery. This visit must still meet all the requirements of a consultation, says Tina Landskroener, CPC, CCS-P, PCS, business office manager for Blessing Physician Services in Quincy, Ill. Keep in mind that the request [...]