Wiki S2900 used with laparoscopic procedure converted to open procedure can you code for S2900 since it was used w/laparoscopic & not w/ open procedure?

[stacy]

Looking for any information on robotic (s2900) if used with a laparoscopic procedure but then provider decided to convert to open procedure. Of course, you are billing for the open procedure only but what about the use of robotic with laparoscopic, can that code (s2900) be billed with the open procedure? Robotic was not used with open procedure.

 

[csperoni]

S2900 Surgical techniques requiring use of robotic surgical system (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
I am not aware of any official guidance regarding this, but will offer my opinion. If you find official guidance somewhere, that should take priority over my opinion.
If the robot was required during the course of the surgery, it would seem correct to use S2900. In your example, it fits the bill. Be sure to include the laparoscopic converted to open diagnosis (not as primary).
I will note that none of my carrier contracts pay anything additional for S2900 and it is used for information and statistics only.