Wiki Lap Cholecystectomy with Wedge biopsy of the liver

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carol52

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Hello, I always question whether these can be billed together or not; can someone shed some light
on these procedures.
Noted in Patients H&P that patient was having right upper quadrant pain and also noticed to be jaundiced a couple of days ago.
laboratory values showed elevated bilirubin and liver function tests.
Dr. Performed a Lap Chole with a cystic cholangiogram which showed no sign of biliary obstruction. He then elected to do a wedge biopsy of the liver.
Can the Lap Chole and the Liver bx bill charged together and what would you us for the liver bx CPT ?
Thanks,
Carol
 
carol52 said:
Hello, I always question whether these can be billed together or not; can someone shed some light
on these procedures.
Noted in Patients H&P that patient was having right upper quadrant pain and also noticed to be jaundiced a couple of days ago.
laboratory values showed elevated bilirubin and liver function tests.
Dr. Performed a Lap Chole with a cystic cholangiogram which showed no sign of biliary obstruction. He then elected to do a wedge biopsy of the liver.
Can the Lap Chole and the Liver bx bill charged together and what would you us for the liver bx CPT ?
Thanks,
Carol
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Cholecystectomy, laparoscopic, with wedge liver biopsy
CPT Assistant, December 2007 Page: 12 Category: Bonus Issue


Surgery: Digestive System

Question:

What is the correct code to report a laparoscopic wedge liver biopsy with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Answer:

The laparoscopic cholecystectomy is reported using an appropriate code from the 47562-47564 series. There is no specific CPT code to describe laparoscopic wedge liver biopsy. Code 47379, Unlisted laparoscopic procedure, liver, should be reported without any CPT modifier. Because unlisted codes do not include descriptor language that specifies the components of a particular service, these codes are reported without modifiers.
 
This is an old thread, but from my findings, the wedge biopsy is not reportable if the pathology evaluation was completed after the procedure. Per NCCI: “If a biopsy is performed and submitted for pathologic evaluation that will be completed after the more extensive procedure is performed, the biopsy is not separately reportable with the more extensive procedure.”
 
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