Wiki Virtual Colonoscopy after regular one

[ilvchopin]

Does anyone know what icd-9 code you would give the radiology office to order a Virtual Colonoscopy for a woman, who had a colonoscopy in our office a few months back, but was incomplete due to retained stool..which, if any, icd-9 code conveys to the carrier, that a regular colonoscopy was attempted, with poor results, so now she needs the virtual one. Thanks.

 

[rere500]

I've done GI coding for many years. We've always had to bill the original colonoscopy with a 53 modifier for Medicare letting them know the original was not a complete exam and then we would bill the repeat with the same diagnosis. The carriers didn't need to know it was a repeat because they knew the original was not complete. I'm not sure if the same holds try when you order a virtual colonoscopy...Note sure if this helps, we may be talking about two different things.

 

[ilvchopin]

really need to know specifically for this situation

thanks for trying, but I really need to know what dx will work for virtual after the regular colonoscopy..I found 560.39,fecal impaction, which I thought was on the payable list, but someone told me it's not on the list now. Please advise, thanks.:

 

[mitchellde]

If the original colonoscopy was for screening and could not be completed due to poor prep which is what it sounds like you have, the you should append either a 53 or 52 to that procedure, now hang with me here, if you used a 53 then as a SECONDARY dx code you would use a V64.1. The the virtual is still a screening colonoscopy as that is still the objective. It is wrong to try and "come up with" a dx that is payable. You code the same reason for the virtual as you had for the scope.