Wiki CT brain without then with contrast - HELP

[Dfreddie]

I need some help to clarify this situation. Radiology is telling me that they are billing both 70450 and 70460 because they were performed a little over an hour apart. Reason for the first scan was left-sided facial weakness, reason for the next w/contrast was possible dural mass.

In my research, this would not be appropriate and no modifier is applicable - the correct code on the same DOS would be 70470.

Am I right? Or am I missing something?

 

[tatercawley]

You are correct! Per the NCCI edits billing both is not appropriate and these will be denied. These should be bundled together into code 70470.

 

[dvargas38@yahoo.com]

Can we bill for quantity 2 70450

 

[SharonCollachi]

So what happened... someone looked at the imaging without contrast and said, hey, I think we need some clarity here, do it again with contrast? Or did something else happen?

 

[luhre]

When a CT scan without contrast is reported on the same day as a CT scan with contrast, on the same anatomical site, use the code for "without contrast followed by with contrast". You are right, 70470 would be correct.