Cardiology Coding Alert

See how to code lead repair and battery change at same session.Coding for electrode repair is a little clearer in 2012.In 2011, your electrode (lead) repair options for a pacemaker (PM) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) included these two codes:33218, Repair of single transvenous electrode for a single chamber permanent pacemaker or single chamber pacing cardioverter-defibrillator 33220, Repair of 2 transvenous electrodes for a dual chamber permanent pacemaker or dual chamber pacing cardioverter-defibrillator.You might see electrode repair for problems like insulation breaks, explained Vicki Pappas, CPC, in her December 2011 presentation "It's Electrifying....EP Coding 2012 Updates" (www.codingconferences.com). Problem: Based on the wording in the 2011 definitions, neither code seemed appropriate for repair of a single lead in a dual-chamber system. Code 33218 referred to a single lead in a single-chamber system, and 33220 referred to repairing two leads in a dual-chamber system. At one point, AMA's Principles of CPT® Coding [...]