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2018 CPC Practice Exam Answer Key 150 Questions With Full Rationale (HCPCS, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10, CPT Codes) Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

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Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Denial Renal Stent

I need tricks on getting renal artery stents paid. I used CPT code 37236 and the only dx codes I had were I70.1, I72.2, I10., N18.4. I know none of these codes are payable as per the CMS LCD policy. I only have a vascular study that shows severe bilateral renal artery stenosis and a small renal aneurysm. Exam shows no pain or claudication.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

renal biopsy by IR

I work for a interventional radiologist that works with cancer docs. He did a CT guided renal biopsy 50200 in his office. it’s being denied for place of service. This was performed in a freestanding physician clinic so was billed with POS 11. Does anyone have any insight to whether or not a 50200 can be billed in a free standing physician office? thanks

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Correct Coding for Renal Artery Doppler

Good morning!

I’m having trouble figuring out the correct code for a patient who came in for a Renal Artery Doppler. The code that I thought was correct, my boss disagreed with. She also presented the question to the provider, and he agreed with her. I guess I’m not fully grasping the way the report reads and that is why I’m thinking of the wrong code. Could someone please clarify this for me? I’ve included our discussion below. Thanks!

Original Email from Me: Pt no xxx had a Renal Artery Doppler on 4/26/18. The code for that (93976) is not in the fee schedule.

Response from boss: We need to discuss this. Why wouldn’t this be code 76770 or 76775?

Me: In the report on Ultralinq, they worded the procedure as "renal Artery Duplex." In the technique description of the report, it states "renal artery duplex examination using B-mode, color
flow, and spectral Doppler to assess arterial stenosis was performed."

93976: Duplex scan of arterial inflow and venous outflow of abdominal, pelvic, scrotal contents and/or retroperitoneal organs; limited study

76770: Ultrasound, retroperitoneal (eg, renal, aorta, nodes), real time with image documentation; complete

76775: Ultrasound, retroperitoneal (eg, renal, aorta, nodes), real time with image documentation; limited

In my opinion, 93976 reads more along the lines of what was performed.

Her Response: I asked provider in my meeting and he said it is 76770.

Radiology has NEVER been my strong point in billing, so any help understanding this would be greatly appreciated!

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Coding scenario – postpartum mother with hydronephrosis and renal calculus

Since there is no code for "incidental postpartum status", how would you code this?

Assessment/final dx: patient is 12 days postpartum with hydronephrosis and renal calculus

The ICD-10 guidelines state: “a postpartum complication is any complication occurring within the six-week period”. It doesn’t specifically state pregnancy-related complication.

Would you code this as O99.89 & N13.2? Should coders always use the O code series when the patient is in the postpartum period?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Please help!! Renal Artery stent coding??

1. Aortoiliac angiography with runoff.
2. Selective renal angiography.
3. PTCA and stenting of the left superior renal artery.
INDICATION: Resistant hypertension.
BRIEF HISTORY:
65-year-old man with significant atherosclerotic disease. He has had a resistant hypertension. His workup revealed a high-grade left superior renal artery stenosis. He has also been having bilateral lower extremity claudication. He is now referred for a left renal artery evaluation and possible stenting as well as lower extremity angiography.

PROCEDURE IN DETAIL:
Informed consent was obtained. The patient was brought to the catheterization laboratory in a fasting state. The right groin was prepped and draped in a sterile fashion. 1% Lidocaine was used for local anesthesia. Fentanyl and Versed were used for moderate sedation. A 6-French 10 cm sheath was inserted into the right common femoral artery via modified Seldinger technique. Through this, a 6-French pigtail catheter was advanced to the abdominal aorta and abdominal aortic angiography was performed. The catheter was then pulled down and aortoiliac angiography with bilateral lower extremity runoff was performed. A decision was made to intervene on the left superior renal artery. Heparin was given for anticoagulation. Using a no-touch technique, the left superior renal artery was selectively engaged with a 6-French IM guide catheter. The renal artery was wired with a BMW wire. The vessel was predilated with a 5 x 20 mm compliant balloon and inflated to nominal pressure. The vessel was then stented with a 6 x 18 mm Herculink stents deployed at nominal pressure. The ostium was flared with a stent balloon. There was about 2-mm of stent extending in to the aorta. A final angiography was performed. Prior to the intervention, a translesional gradient was assessed and was found to be approximately 65-70 millimeters of Mercury by a peak-to-peak gradient. Following the procedure, there was no appreciable gradient.

FINDINGS:
Right renal artery has approximately 50% ostial stenosis. There are 2 left renal arteries, the superior renal artery has an approximately 85% ostial stenosis, the left lower renal artery, which supplied only about a third of the renal parenchyma is patent. Abdominal aorta, there is an ulcerated plaque in the distal abdominal aorta, which appears chronic, but is not causing any lumen loss. Right lower extremity, the right common iliac artery is diffusely diseased approximately 30%, the internal iliac artery and external iliac arteries were patent. The common femoral artery is patent, the deep femoral artery is patent, the superficial femoral artery has mild disease proximally 30% in the superficial femoral artery. There is a 3-vessel runoff to the foot. Left lower extremity, the common iliac artery has a 20% mid stenosis. The external iliac and internal arteries were patent. The common femoral artery is patent. The superficial femoral artery has mild disease. The TP trunk is occluded at the ostium. There is one-vessel runoff to the foot by the anterior tibial artery.

IMPRESSION:
1. High-grade left superior renal artery stenosis.
2. Moderate atherosclerotic disease in the left lower extremity with predominantly below-the-knee disease.
3. Successful left superior renal artery stenting as noted above.
PLAN:
1. Medical therapy for atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease.
2. Dual anti-platelet therapy for at least 1 month, but preferably 3 months.

Medical Billing and Coding

End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program Extended to September 30

CMS extended the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program (QIP) Preview Period for Payment Year (PY) 2017 through 5 pm ET on Friday, September 30, 2016. The Preview Period is an opportunity for outpatient dialysis facilities to review their scores before they are finalized.

Facilities with PY 2017 ESRD QIP scores that fail to meet or exceed the minimum Total Performance Score face reimbursement reductions of up to 2 percent for dialysis treatments that will be rendered during 2017.

For more information, visit the ESRD QIP website, review the materials from the August 2 MLN Connects® Call, or contact us at [email protected].

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