bethb
Guru
Hello. To me, coding guidance for surveillance colonoscopies is murky, at best. How are you all coding and billing surveillance colonoscopies for commercial insurances? i.e. repeat colonoscopy for a past finding (polyps) Surveillance colonoscopies are usually done at more frequent intervals than screenings. Do you code and bill surveillance with a -33 (or -PT if applicable)? My understanding is that surveillance is not a screening and therefore should not be coded as a screening for commercial insurances. We have had a few patients angry because they are receiving deductible / co-insurance bills for surveillance colonoscopies. The insurance is telling them we are coding them incorrectly
Our notes specifically state "surveillance"; no verbiage of "screening" so therefore, no screening diagnosis or screening modifiers are used. Anyone have advice or guidance on this? Is there any clear statement that a surveillance is to be coded as a screening? Thanks in advance!!