Wiki Radiologist Intraoperative Fluro Coding

[dwilliams73]

Hello Forum,

I do the coding / billing for a radiology group. The question is how should a radiologist bill for images read that were obtained via fluro during a procedure. Typically if the radiologist was present in the OR we would bill the fluro time, however our radiologist are not present. The images are sent via a computer system to the radiology suite for reading and interpretation. What codes would be billed?

 

[msncoder]

If you are billing the professional component then you bill for what was read unless your doc is not providing a diagnostic interp. If the reports just states "films were obtained in OR and presented to radiology dept" or if the report says "films were presented from OR and all is normal" then they are not providing their interpretation or diagnostic findings and cannot bill for anything.....usually these are done for the technical component only or for liability reasons.
However, if they are presented with fluoro films of the ankle and provide a diagnostic interp then you bill for an ankle x-ray. If they are presented with fluoro films from a surgical procedure...for example a bilateral lower ext angiogram....and provide diagnostic interp then you would bill the RS & I code (75716) with a 52 modifier since they were not present (supervising) during the procedure.

Hope this answers your question!!!!