Wiki Coding addendum to radiology reports

[klswaugh]

I have a provider billing us two MRI's, one with a 26 and the second with a 26/76. There was only one MROI done but they are billing the second(26/76) for an addendum made to the report 5 minutes after the initial read was done. Is this billing allowed? Can they even report the addendum to the report?

 

[thomas7331]

An addendum, by definition, is information that is added to the medical record. It's part of the documentation of and the work involved in that original procedure - it's not a separate service and wouldn't be appropriate to report as such.

Modifier 76 would be for a second, repeated MRI done on the same day, usually for a medical necessary reason such as a change in the patient's condition since the first procedure was done - it would involve a completely separate procedure and report, not an addendum.