Wiki Liposuction medicare pt

[mconnolly]

Our surgeon was called into a surgery by a vascular surgeon who was trying to do a venous access, but could not because the patient had too much fat in the area of the site where the venous access needed to go. Our surgeon was asked to liposuction some of the fat in order to gain access. This is a medicare patient and was not done for cosmetic reasons. How would I bill this to medicare so our surgeon gets paid for his service. I have used 20926 in the past when it was for fat grafting, but in this case, it was just to gain access for another surgeon.

 

[mitchellde]

You will need to bill it as what it is using the liposuction code and the dx code for the documented level of obesity. You will need to appeal to show this was for medical necessity, more than likely.

 

[mconnolly]

ok, thank you, I guess we will have to appeal, already denied 15878.