Are you aware how to report ultrasounds and different-day deliveries? If not, you are not alone. Here our experts provide you with all the answers you need to get the most out of your multiple-gestation claims.
Issue 1: Determine different-day delivery coding strategy Oftentimes, multiple-gestation babies will be born on different days. For instance, a patient is at 38 weeks gestation and is carrying twins in two sacs. While one membrane ruptures, the ob-gyn delivers the baby vaginally. A couple of days later, the second ruptures and the second baby delivers vaginally as well.
Solution: You should report the first baby as a delivery only on that date of service. For the second, you should bill the global code (59400) on that date of service, assuming the doctor provided prenatal care. The reason behind not billing the global first is that you are still offering prenatal care owing to the retained twin.
You will have to attach a letter explaining the situation to the insurance company as the right diagnosis for every delivery is twins even though the ob-gyn has delivered only one. Your payers will require you to use the outcome codes, however you may have to explain that it is still twins even though only the first baby was delivered.
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