Wiki I am really needing help here

[martha37]

We are needing help in our office on the appropriate modifier usage on central venous catheter placement done on same day of service. If temporary taken out and permanent one replaced the same date, do I use a 78 or 79????

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

 

[ASH527]

Catheter coding help

I'm not sure what your asking - The catheter insertion was the initial code and then the doctor removed & inserted new catheter, if this is done at the same venous site you would use a replacement code and modifier 59, if its all on the same day-separate op session. This is how I would code. Hope it helps

 

[dpeoples]

We are needing help in our office on the appropriate modifier usage on central venous catheter placement done on same day of service. If temporary taken out and permanent one replaced the same date, do I use a 78 or 79????

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

If the physician is changing out a vas cath (36555-36556) and putting in a tunnelled (perma) cath , I would use a code from 36557-36566 as this is not a true replacement. If the vas cath was malfunctioning and had to be replaced due to that complication, I would use modifier 78. If not, then modifier 58 may apply since this is a more extensive procedure. I do not think modifier 79 is applicable in this instance.

HTH