CPT^® 88333, Under Surgical Pathology Procedures

The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT^®) code 88333 as maintained by American Medical Association, is a medical procedural code under the range - Surgical Pathology Procedures.

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Summary

Pathology consultation during surgery provides necessary and precise information pertaining to diagnosis and prognosis that aids a surgeon in deciding whether to proceed further during surgery. Cytologic examinations, microscopic examinations of cells, such as touch or squash preps of the initial site, provide rapid evaluation of tissue that enables a pathologist and surgeon to make timely decisions during a procedure.

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Brain Biopsy

Per NCCI Manual Chapter 10: The unit of service for gross and microscopic surgical pathology (CPT codes 88300-88309), pathology consultation during surgery (CPT codes 88329, 88331, 88333), electron mi... [ Read More ]

FNA/FNAB - Can you bill 88173 and 88305 if no cell block was created but tissue was submitted

Hi [USER=285843]llg2020,[/USER] Cytology coding can be very confusing at times, but I may be able to help. Needle core biopsies do occur all the time. If a true fine needle aspiration did occur; ... [ Read More ]

FNA/FNAB - Can you bill 88173 and 88305 if no cell block was created but tissue was submitted cytopathology fna fna adequacy fnab fnb path consult pathology

Hi there! I have a pathology coding question that I'm hoping you can help get answered. Can you bill an 88305 and an 88172 if a cell block wasn't created but tissue was submitted for microscopic e... [ Read More ]

Need Help.. I am preparing to CPC exam

If we have a scenario like this... Dr. Lee performed an intraoperative consultation on a bile duct tumor requiring frozen section and cytological evaluation to a bladder tumor... How would you report... [ Read More ]

Touch preps (for adequacy only)

Touch preps are only chargeable per the CPT definition if they are performed as part of an intraoperative path consult (See 88329-88334). Since that would have been done by the hospital's pathologist ... [ Read More ]

Touch Prep Billing Question

[b]MUE for touch/squash prep[/b] Hi, I know I'm late to the game on this one, but in Jan 2014 the posted MUE by CMS for cpt 88333 was 4. With proper documentation you should have been paid for no ... [ Read More ]

touch prep on tissue biopsy

I've read conflicting information about this. As you mentioned, some sources say you can only bill 88333. Others say you can bill 88333 and 88305 if two separate specimens are taken and only one was a... [ Read More ]

touch prep on tissue biopsy

Still looking for help on this, one of my pathologist has a case where she has core tissue (lung)and some of the specimen has excessive blood she prepares a cell block in addition to her touch prep.... [ Read More ]

touch prep on tissue biopsy

Can you bill 88333 on core tissue biopsy and cpt codes 88104 or88112 together, Pagdgets say that only for Fluids, brushings and washings- with guidelines. But our cytopathologist here feel that when ... [ Read More ]

Billing Consultation code 88329 multiple times

[b]touch prep on tissue biopsy cpt 88333[/b] Good morning I am an auditor for pathology, my question is for TISSUE specimens, can you bill 88333 with either 88104,88112 for INTRAOPERATIVE services, I... [ Read More ]

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