To code before or after the x-ray

[Ltoth]

If you have a patient that is coming in and doctor orders an x-ray, do you code for that day the symptom or wait until the x-ray comes back and code the final reading?
Lisa

[RebeccaWoodward*]

Code signs and symptoms....

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/clm104c23.pdf

Begin at...10.1.1.

If the individual responsible for reporting the codes for the testing facility or the physician’s office does not have the report of the physician interpretation at the time of billing, the individual responsible for reporting the codes for the testing facility or the physician’s office should code what they know at the time of billing. Sometimes reports of the physician’s interpretation of diagnostic tests may not be available until several days later, which could result in delay of billing. Therefore, in such instances, the individual responsible for reporting the codes for the testing facility or the physician’s office should code based on the information/reports available to them, or what they know, at the time of billing.

[Ltoth]

Rebecca,

Thank you so much for your help and the link!!

Regards,
Lisa