Is it appropriate to use 88141 for physician interpretation of Medicare screening pap smears?
Example: a lab tests a screening pap smear uses G0145. The pap requires interpretation by a physician. Medicare states that the proper code for the interpretation is G0124, and using the screening V-code as the primary ICD-9 code with the pathological diagnosis as a secondary ICD-9 code.
An argument is made that since the pap is abnormal, it has now become a diagnostic pap and therefore could instead be coded with 88141 and using just the pathological diagnosis for ICD-9, omitting the screening V-codes.
Comments?
Example: a lab tests a screening pap smear uses G0145. The pap requires interpretation by a physician. Medicare states that the proper code for the interpretation is G0124, and using the screening V-code as the primary ICD-9 code with the pathological diagnosis as a secondary ICD-9 code.
An argument is made that since the pap is abnormal, it has now become a diagnostic pap and therefore could instead be coded with 88141 and using just the pathological diagnosis for ICD-9, omitting the screening V-codes.
Comments?