Wiki Scope appy w/ umbilical hernia repair

[Crsunny808]

Would like you thoughts on this: Surgean makes umbilical port incision, inserts scope, encounters an incarcerated umbilical hernia. Repairs this without mesh. Proceeds with the laparoscopic appy which is uneventful. CCI edits allows 49653 (hernia repair) and 44970 (appy) in that order.
My quandary is; incision is made in the umbilical area for the scope port, and that incision is repaired on the way out as a matter of procedure, so would these would these two codes be correctly billed together, or is this one of those times that CCI might not provide the best guidance?
Thanks,
Chuck, CPC

 

[CodingKing]

NCCI Manual provides the best guidance here:

CPT code 44970 describes a laparoscopic appendectomy and may be reported separately with another laparoscopic procedure code when a diseased appendix is removed. Since removal of a normal appendix with another laparoscopic procedure is not separately reportable, this code should not be reported for an incidental laparoscopic appendectomy.