Wiki Screening colonoscopy, multiple polyps

[kimberliterpstra]

When performing a screening colonoscopy, the surgeon removed a polyp from the ascending colon with a snare (CPT 45385,33). He also removed another polyp in the ascending colon (3 cm. away from the other polyp) with hot biopsy (CPT 45384, 33).

Are both polyp removals billable? My thought is if they are in the same anatomical location (ascending colon), even though they were two separate polyps, they are not both billable.

Any resources would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lchasteen]

multiple polyp removal

Both are billable , colonoscopies are billed by the technique used to remove the polyp. I don't think it matters if they are both in the same location of the colon, but the provider must use a different technique to remove each polyp in order to bill them separately. If the provider removes 3 polyps with the same technique it is only billable once.