CCI / Hot Coding Topics

CCI UPDATE 97597-97598: CCI Will Correct Debridement Glitch

Hang on to your claims for these wound care management codes.

As most veteran coders know, you can’t report an add-on code unless you report it along with its “parent code” on the same claim. But an NCCI glitch has made it impossible for you to collect for both the debridement add-on code 97598 and its partner code 97597 — creating denied claims and confusion for practices that perform active wound care management. However, a new announcement indicating that the NCCI is fixing the problem should ease your coding angst.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) issued a release on its Web site stating that the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits currently bundle the following two codes together:

97597 — Debridement (eg, high pressure waterjet with/without suction, sharp selective debridement with scissors, scalpel and forceps), open wound, (eg, fibrin, devitalized epidermis and/or dermis, exudate, debris, biofilm), including topical application(s), wound assessment, use of a whirlpool, when performed and instruction(s) for ongoing care, per session, total wound(s) surface area; first 20 sq cm or less
+97598 — …each additional 20 sq cm, or part thereof (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)

This edit bundle has an indicator of “0,” meaning that no modifier can separate these codes. Fortunately, the APMA caught the error and contacted the NCCI director about it.

“The NCCI is currently working on a solution and recommends that APMA members delay submission of claims reporting combination of CPT 97597 and CPT 97598 until the NCCI replacement file is in place and implemented by CMS,” the APMA’s statement says. “The April 1, 2011 version of NCCI does not contain this edit error.”

The APMA has not yet gotten word on whether Medicare contractors will automatically reprocess claims that were paid in error...

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March 3, 2011
CPT 2011 / Hot Coding Topics

2011 Medical Coding Updates Are Available on Supercoder.com

Raise your glass to the new year without worries of 2011 medical code changes. SuperCoder’s got you covered with new CPT codes, CCI edits, and supply coding revisions. Starting Dec. 31, SuperCoder.com will offer the complete codesets for CPT 2011...

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December 29, 2010
Coding Challenge / Hot Coding Topics / modifier 25

Is 99211 + 95115 OK?

Question: If a nurse has to check vitals to make sure an allergy injection is the correct quantity or if she has to educate the patient about the administration or side effects of the injections, we’ve been billing 99211 with 95115 or 95117. There is...

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December 6, 2010
CCI

CCI 16.3: Incorporate Injury Repair, Laparoscopy Bundles to Stay Compliant

Version 16.3 of the National Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits initiated many new edit pairs on Oct. 1. You’ll need to get to know new edits affecting your small and large bowl injury repairs, open ureterotomy stentings, and diagnostic laparoscopy coding.

Count Bowl, Splenic Injury Repairs With Main Surgery

If your urologist has to perform a small or large bowl repair for an intestinal injury that occurs during an open urological or urogynecological procedure, you’ll likely be facing a new CCI edit dilemma.

CCI bundles column 2 codes 44602 (Suture of small intestine [enterorrhaphy] for perforated ulcer, diverticulum, wound, injury or rupture; single perforation), 44603 (… multiple perforations), 44604 (Suture of large intestine [colorrhaphy] for perforated ulcer, diverticulum, wound, injury or rupture [single or multiple perforations]; without colostomy), and 44605 (… with colostomy) into many of the procedures in the 50010-57280 range.

Silver lining: These edits have a modifier indicator of “1,” which means you can bypass the edits in some clinical circumstances, using a modifier such as 59 (Distinct procedural service). “These bundles indicate that a repair of an inadvertent small or large bowl injury occurring during urological or urogynecological surgery will be included in the primary procedure under most circumstances and should not be billed separately,” says Michael A. Ferragamo, MD, FACS, clinical assistant professor of urology at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. “If such an injury does occur and is repaired, the surgeon should  check CCI, version 16.3 edits to determine if their primary procedure is involved in these edits.”

If, during a urological procedure such as a difficult left nephrectomy, an inadvertent splenic injury occurs, resulting in an open splenectomy (38100, Splenectomy; total [separate procedure]), a partial splenectomy (38101, … partial [separate procedure]), or a laparoscopic splenectomy (38120, Laparoscopy, surgical, splenectomy)...

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November 14, 2010
Provider News

Correct Coding Initiative: 93025 Guidelines Now Coincide With 16.2 Edit Deletions

The National Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) version 16.3 instructions align MTWA and stress tests coding manual guidelines with version 16.2 edit deletions.

Update Chapter 11 of Your CCI Manual

The CCI version effective July 1 deleted the edits that barred reporting cardiovascular stress test codes 93015-93017 (Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress …) with MTWA code 93025 (Microvolt T-wave alternans for assessment of ventricular arrhythmias).

The manual in effect at that time, however, stated you couldn’t report 93015-93017 on the same date as 93025. The previous wording said, “If a physician performs an MTWA with submaximal stress test followed by a traditional stress test on the same date of service, CMS payment policy allows separate payment of MTWA (CPT code 93025) and the interpretation and report for the traditional stress test (CPT code 93018). The practice  expense component of the traditional stress test is not separately payable, and a physician should not report CPT codes 93015-93017 on the same date of service as CPT code 93025.”

CCI’s updates present in the current manual, version 16.3, reflect the CCI edit deletion that allows you to report both an MTWA with submaximal stress test and a traditional stress test, acknowledging that the tests are different. The current wording says, “Microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) (CPT code 93025) testing requires a submaximal stress test that differs from the traditional exercise stress test (CPT codes 93015-93018) which utilizes a standard exercise protocol. CPT codes 93015-93018 should not be reported separately for the submaximal stress test integral to MTWA testing. If a physician performs an MTWA with submaximal stress test followed by a period of rest and then a traditional stress test on the same date of service, both the MTWA and traditional...

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October 28, 2010
Provider News

Coding Coding Initiative 16.3 Includes Ultrasound in 0228T, 0230T

Only report primary procedure – except for 99455 edits.

The latest version of the National Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits went into effect October 1, and introduced a slew of pairings involving two new Category III “T” codes for transforaminal epidural injections:

  • 0228T – Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with ultrasound guidance, cervical or thoracic; single level
  • 0230T – Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with ultrasound guidance, lumbar or sacral; single level.

Explanation: “The new Category III codes 0228T-0231T have added the addition of ultrasound guidance to transforaminal epidural injections,” says Susan Vogelberger, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-I, CMBS, CCP-P, CEO of Healthcare Consulting and Coding Education in Boardman, Ohio. “That will eliminate the need to code the ultrasound independently.” The existing, Category I codes for transforaminal epidural injections of anesthetic and/or steroids (64479-64484) include only the injection itself.

Even Simple Procedures Rule With NME Edits

CCI classifies the bulk of edits involving 0228T and 0230T as non-mutually exclusive.

No breakage: The rationale behind the new bundling edits falls to “standards of medical/surgical practice.” Most edits carry a modifier indicator of “0,” which means you cannot break the edit with a modifier and report both codes during a single encounter.

Examples of common procedures that override the accompanying 0228T or 0230T codes include:

  • Incision and drainage (such as 10060, Incision and drainage of abscess (e.g., carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia); simple or single)
  • Foreign body removal (such as 10120, Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple) Lesion paring (such as 11055, Paring or cutting of benign hyperkeratonic lesion (e.g., corn or callus); single lesion)
  • Skin tag removal (beginning with 11200, Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area; up to and including 15 lesions)
  • Lesion shaving (including 11300,

...

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October 28, 2010
Hot Coding Topics / modifier 59 / NCCI

NCCI Edits: Watch Out For These Endoscopy Bundles

Code 31575 includes 92511 and 31231 except under these conditions.

Singling out the correct endoscopy code when your otolaryngologist examines multiple areas in the sinuses and throat isn’t always easy, but in most cases it’s imperative to settle on one, according to National Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits. You can adhere to these edits and avoid payback requests if you stick to these guidelines.

3 Rules Guide the Way

Rule #1: Never report 92511 (Nasopharyngoscopy with endoscope[separate procedure]) and 31231 (Nasal endoscopy, diagnostic, unilateral or bilateral [separate procedure]) together, says Stephen R. Levinson, MD, otolaryngologist and coding consultant based in Easton, Conn. Code 92511 is a component of Column 1 code 31231. The bundle has a modifier indicator of “0” — thus, no modifier can break this bundle.

Rule #2: Code 92511 is a component of Column 1 code 31575 (Laryngoscopy, flexible fiberoptic; diagnostic) but a modifier is allowed in order to differentiate between the services provided (that is, you may append modifier 59 [Distinct procedural services] if there are separate and identifiable services with separate medical indications). Report 92511 in conjunction with 31575 for the same encounter, says Levinson, only if the following conditions are met:

  • there are separate medical indications for examining each area (for instance, 784.49 for hoarseness with 31575 in an adult patient with a hyperactive gag reflex and 381.4 for a unilateral or bilateral middle ear effusion with 92511, which would be a rare occurrence), and
  • the ENT uses a different scope for each, separate procedure because there is a documented reason that the fiberoptic scope did not provide adequate visualization of the nasopharynx. “This would be highly unlikely,” emphasizes Levinson.

Rule #3: Code 31231 is a component of Column 1 code 31575 but a modifier is allowed in order...

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June 1, 2010
CCI / Coder's Cranium / modifier 59

Cataract Surgery Coding Skill Builder

Determine ‘planned or unplanned’ before separately coding vitrectomy. With several possible surgical treatments for cataract procedures, which you probably code more often than any other surgery, there’s a lot of room for error – with over $890 at stake for complex cataract procedures in 2009. Use these tricky scenarios as a guide through some of the most [...] Related articles:

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January 19, 2010