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Anesthesia Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Try Your Hand at Coding for Partial Service

Published on Wed Jul 20, 2005

Question: Our anesthesiologist worked with a surgeon during an epiaortic echocardiogram. The surgeon actually placed the probe on the aorta, but the anesthesiologist performed the interpretation and report. How should we code this service?


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Answer: The best code is 93307 (Echocardiography, transthoracic, real-time with image documentation [2D] with or without M-mode recording; complete). Append modifier 26 (Professional component) to show that the anesthesiologist does not own the equipment used. Also be sure to submit a written report with the claim to help document each physician's role.
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