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Urology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Vaporization and Coagulation as Separate Procedures

Published on Wed Dec 01, 1999

Question: Should 52647 (non-contact laser coagulation of prostate) and 52648 (contact laser vaporization) be billed separately with a -51 modifier? Vaporization and coagulation are separate procedures, yet some insurance companies that once allowed separate billing are now bundling them as one procedure.

S. Roth, CN

Answer: When a procedure is accomplished by more than one method during the same session, usually when one method is begun but it is decided that the second method will be more effective, or when both methods are used to treat various locations of the same lesion, the most extensive method is the only one that should be billed. Therefore, 52647 and 52648 should not be billed. Use only 56248.
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