Urology Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Replace 61793 With 55899 for Cyberknife

Published on Tue Jan 13, 2009

Question: I'm suddenly getting denials when my urologist performs a cyberknife procedure. I've always used 61793 for the stereotactic portion of the procedure.Why am I getting denied now?

Tennessee Subscriber

Answer: The denials probably do not have to do with whether or not the payer will pay for cyberknife procedures,but rather with you using a now-invalid CPT code.

CPT 2009, which went into effect Jan. 1, deleted 61793 (Stereotatic radiosurgery [particle beam, gamma ray, or linear accelerator] one or more sessions).

What now: If your urologists perform stereotactic radiosurgery, also known as gamma knife surgery (also known as the "cyberknife"), for the treatment of prostatic carcinoma, you should no longer report 61793. Instead,submit 55899 (Unlisted procedure, male genital system) as suggested by the American Urological Association (AUA) Health Policy Brief, Volume XVIII, Number 12 (December 2008).

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