Urology Coding Alert

You can rejoice that there will be only a few CPT Codes 2012 changes affecting your urology practice.

Every year at this time, coders face the challenge of learning new codes and new regulations while also wondering what sort of financial changes the new fee schedules might bring.

The good news: "There will be no new or revised CPT Changes for urology procedure coding in 2012," says Michael A. Ferragamo, MD, FACS, clinical assistant professor of urology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. "In other words, there are no changes between CPT® codes 50010 and 55980."

However, if your urologist performs urogynecology procedures, there's one change you should pay attention to. Read on to get the scoop before the new codes go into effect on Jan. 1, 2012.

Check the Other Procedures Before Billing 57283

There is one 2012 change for urogynecology that you should note, but this change does not involve a new or revised code. Rather, the change is a new parenthetical remark for 57283 (Colpopexy, vaginal; intra-peritoneal approach [uterosacral, levator myorrhaphy]).

"This approach in the past has been called a Mayo-McCall or McCall colpopexy or colpoplasty," Ferragamo explains. The 2012 CPT® manual warns you to not report 57283 with the following codes:

• 57556 -- Excision of cervical stump, vaginal approach; with repair of enterocele
• 58263 -- Vaginal hysterectomy, for uterus 250 g or less; with removal of tube(s), and/or ovary(s), with repair of enterocele
• 58270 -- ... with repair of enterocele
• 58280 -- Vaginal hysterectomy, with total or partial vaginectomy; with repair of enterocele
• 58292 -- Vaginal hysterectomy, for uterus greater than 250 g; with removal of tube(s) and/or ovary(s), with repair of enterocele
• 58294 -- ... with repair of enterocele.

"The common denominator here appears to be the enterocele repair," Ferragamo explains. "A Mayo-McCall colpoplasty (57283), according to CPT®, if performed with any of the above listed codes, should not be billed as an additional procedure," he warns.

Pointer: You can find the exact CPT® wording about this new guidance under code 57283 in your 2012 CPT® manual.