Wiki Help with discontinued procedure

[ndriley10]

I'm trying to decide how many codes to report on a discontinued procedure. The description of what was done:
PROCEDURE:
1. Flexible bronchoscopy.
2. Mediastinoscopy.
3. Video-assisted thorascopic surgery with exploration of pleural space, left superior segmentectomy aborted.

The bronch and mediastinoscopy were completed. VATS exploration was started but the lung was too adherent to the chest wall to do a segmentectomy. The procedure was aborted at this point. I know I can bill 39400 no problem but should I bill 32601 for the exploratory VATS and then bill 32669-53 for documentation purposes?

 

[tjrice]

Discontinued Procedure

I'm thinking that 39400-53 is all you can code for. The diagnostic goes away once the next procedure begins. Please let me know what you finally discover...best, Tim

I'm trying to decide how many codes to report on a discontinued procedure. The description of what was done:
PROCEDURE:
1. Flexible bronchoscopy.
2. Mediastinoscopy.
3. Video-assisted thorascopic surgery with exploration of pleural space, left superior segmentectomy aborted.

The bronch and mediastinoscopy were completed. VATS exploration was started but the lung was too adherent to the chest wall to do a segmentectomy. The procedure was aborted at this point. I know I can bill 39400 no problem but should I bill 32601 for the exploratory VATS and then bill 32669-53 for documentation purposes?

 

[tjrice]

Discontinued Procedure

Re-thinking...32669-53 is probably not going to work. I believe you will get reimbursed for 39400 and that's it. Again...I'm interested in the outcome.

I'm trying to decide how many codes to report on a discontinued procedure. The description of what was done:
PROCEDURE:
1. Flexible bronchoscopy.
2. Mediastinoscopy.
3. Video-assisted thorascopic surgery with exploration of pleural space, left superior segmentectomy aborted.

The bronch and mediastinoscopy were completed. VATS exploration was started but the lung was too adherent to the chest wall to do a segmentectomy. The procedure was aborted at this point. I know I can bill 39400 no problem but should I bill 32601 for the exploratory VATS and then bill 32669-53 for documentation purposes?