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Coding and Billing “Multiple Procedures”

When healthcare providers perform multiple procedures during a single patient encounter, Medicare (and many commercial insurers) typically pay “full price” for only the highest-valued procedure. The reason is explained in Chapter 1 of the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) Policy Manual: Most medical and surgical procedures include pre-procedure, intra-procedure, and post-procedure work. When multiple procedures […]

The post Coding and Billing “Multiple Procedures” appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

coding scopes with open procedures

Hello all, I would realllyyy like to be able to have a experienced ENT coder to network with or several. I have a few questions regarding when you can code a diagnostic scope with open procedures?
I understand the concept of the provider using a scope to survey to area prior to a procedure is included in the procedure. I work for pediatric ENT docs. They are constantly billing for scopes that are being denied as inclusive.
I would like to know, when do I know that they are assessing the field to determine to perform the open procedure?

Do I look for documentation such as "we determined we would go ahead with XYZ"

Thank you so much for any assistance

:confused:

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Bilateral Procedures for ASC

Can someone please clarify how to bill bilateral procedures for ASC (Ambulatory Surgery Center)? I’ve heard that it varies between payers, but I just someone just told me that Medicare will not accept modifier -50 for ASC and that we have to bill -LT/-RT on separate line items. Is this correct? And is this usually the case for other payers???

Thank you for your help

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

multiple minor procedures

I am a new coder working for a family practice.

Can anyone help me with this?

I have an excision of basal cell carcinoma code:11640
Cryotherapy of benign lesion :17110-59
Impacted cerumen bilaterally, with irragation 69209-50

Do I have my modifiers correct? Do I need another modifier on 69209? Mod -59 or -51?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

multiple minor procedures

I am a new coder working for a family practice.

Can anyone help me with this?

I have an excision of basal cell carcinoma code:11640
Cryotherapy of benign lesion :17110-59
Impacted cerumen bilaterally, with irragation 69209-50

Do I have my modifiers correct? Do I need another modifier on 69209? Mod -59 or -51?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Bundling procedures with catheter insertion/exchange

Insurance companies bundle urinary catheter insertion/exchange with cystoscopy when performed on same date of service. Codes 52000 and 51702 or 52000 and 51701 for example. Does anyone have any advice/solution? Should HCPCS codes be billed to prevent bundling issues? Should/can the patient be billed for the catheter if it is bundled with the cystoscopy?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Bunion and hammertoe procedures

Hello fellow codes, coding these procedures for a while and still struggling with multiply procedures performed on one toe, especially the hammertoe. here is one of the OP report.

I’m thinking of 28297 for Bunion and of course 28285 for hammertoe, anything else? Weil osteotomy always throws me off…PLEASE HELP:

PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Painful bunion right. Hammertoe second right and dislocated second
metatarsophalangeal joint dorsally on the right.

POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Painful bunion right. Hammertoe second right and dislocated second
metatarsophalangeal joint dorsally on the right.

PROCEDURE:
1. Lapidus bunionectomy on the right.
2. Hammertoe correction, arthrodesis second PIPJ right.
3. Weil osteotomy second metatarsophalangeal joint right.

OPERATION AND FINDINGS: The patient was brought to the operating room and placed on the
operating room table in the supine position. Local anesthesia was achieved per
anesthesiologist with a pop/fos block. The area was then prepped and draped in the usual
sterile manner. A pneumatic ankle tourniquet was applied to the right ankle. The right foot
was then elevated and exsanguinated with an Esmarch bandage and the right ankle tourniquet
was inflated to 250 mmHg.

Attention was directed to the dorsal aspect of the right foot where a dorsal linear
incision was made approximately 12 cm in length, extending from the first
metatarsophalangeal joint to the first metatarsocuneiform joint. The incision was deepened
via sharp and blunt dissection taking care to retract and identify all vessels and nerves.
An inverted-L capsulotomy was performed at the first MPJ and the capsule from freed from
the medial eminence, which was delivered into the wound, noted to be degenerative changes
noted. Using a power saw the medial eminence was removed and all bony spicules were rasped
with an electric rasp.

Attention was then directed to the first interspace where adductor tenotomy and capsulotomy
was performed.

Attention was then directed to the first metatarsocuneiform joint, where a linear
capsulotomy was performed and all capsular tissue was freed from the dorsal, medial and
lateral aspect. Using an Arthrex retractor, the joint was opened and the cartilage was
removed off the base of the first metatarsal and along the distal aspect of the cuneiform.
The IM was reduced and the digit was put in the correct position, temporarily fixated with
a 62 K-wire and then permanently fixated with an Arthrex Nitinol screw 18 x 18 dorsal
lateral and a 3.5 Arthrex headless screw dorsal distal to proximal plantar. Noted to be
good apposition and good alignment. The area was flushed with sterile solution, further
inspected for debris. When none was found, a capsulorrhaphy was obtained using 3-0 Vicryl.
Subcu was obtained using 4-0 Vicryl and skin closure was achieved using 4-0 nylon simple
running interlocking suture. It was noted that after reducing the IM angle, we did not need
to do an Akin osteotomy. The digit was in the corrected position.

Attention was then directed to the second digit, where a dorsal linear incision was made
approximately 8 cm in length extending from the second PIPJ to he second MPJ. The incision
was deepened via sharp and blunt dissection, taking care to retract and identify all
vessels and nerves. The incision was deepened to the level of the capsule of the second
MPJ, where a linear transverse capsulotomy was performed after freeing up the extensor
tendon hood. Using a power saw, a Weil osteotomy was made dorsal distal to proximal plantar
and the head was shifted approximately 4 mm proximally and fixated with a 12-mm 2.5 Arthrex
headless screw. Dorsal to plantar, the osteotomy was stable. The dorsal lip was removed
with a rongeur and all bony spicules were rasped with an electric rasp.

Attention was then directed to the second PIPJ where using a Zimmer ToeTac, the cartilage
was removed using the reamers. The digit was put in the corrected position and the implant
was put in position as instructed and as procedure. The K-wire was driven, then through the
implant and into the second MPJ with the digit held in the corrected position.

The area was flushed with sterile saline solution, further inspected for debris. When none
was found, deep closure was obtained using 3-0 and 4-0 Vicryl suture and skin closure was
achieved using 4-0 nylon simple running interlocking sutures, simple interrupted sutures.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Multiple Mohs procedures making one defect

When my Mohs surgeon has side by side skin cancers and are all being treated with Mohs as separate lesions, when the procedure is done it has created one defect site. If you are treating that wound site with for example with skin substitute used for healing,can you measure the entire site as one defect? Almost impossible to differentiate each individual defect since the margins were so close they overlapped.

Shardel

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Local Anesthesia code for pain management procedures

For RFA – Radiofrequency Ablation ( 64633 – 64636 ), do I need to code Local anesthesia seperately?

and for joint and bursa injection – 20610 , 20605 do I code local anesthesia seperately , 3 ml of 1% Lidocaine. ?? And Provider uses fluroscopy so do I code
for ex : left shoulder joint injection – 12 mg betamethasone
20610 – LT
77002 – 59
J0702 x 4
(What about Anesthesia)

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Multiple Cardiology Procedures: Cath/renal angiography with balloon angio and stent

New to cardiology and I think I’m getting myself overwhelmed when searching for the codes but I want to learn. I know some of these are included in others but still confused, HELP please!:confused:

Procedure Performed:
1. RT and LT heart Catherization
2. Aortic valve study
3. Left ventriculogram
4. Coronary angiography
5. Distal abdominal aortography
6. Selective renal angiography with balloon angioplasty and stent placement with a 5.0x18mm heculink placed in the left renal artery proximal.
8. Sheath suture in place. Plan for manual pressure, hold 2 hr post procedure
9. Supervision and interpretation of above.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum