Can someone please help me with the following:
I bill for a thoracic surgeon and he consistently performs code:
32097 Thoracotomy, with diagnosis biopsy(ies) of lung nodule(s) or mass(es)
and on the same surgery sessions performs:
32150 Thoracotomy with the removal of intrapleural foreign body or fibrin deposit
and 32124 Thoracotomy with open intrapleural pneumonolysis.
My question is when I used to bill these codes together CPT 32097 will get bundled, but when I added modifier 58 staged procedure to CPT 32150 and 32124 it was paid, so how is this a staged procedure? and when will be adding modifier 58 correct with these codes?
I understand that if it was a biopsy followed by resection or an excision, but what does a pneumonolysis have to with the biopsy? I also know that I can not bill a diagnostic biopsy(ies) of the lung regardless of the approach if during the same operative session the surgeon uses these results to determine the extent of the necessary surgical resection.
Thank you