Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: When we perform stress tests, may we report an injection code for the administration of the pharmacologic agent?

Virginia Subscriber

Answer: No, you should not report a separate injection code to represent administration of a pharmacologic agent during a stress test. You should consider the administration included in the stress test code, such as 93015 (Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise, continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, and/or pharmacological stress; with physician supervision, with interpretation and report).

Support: The NCCI Policy Manual for Medicare Services, chapter 11, section 9, states that cardiovascular stress tests "include insertion of needle and/or catheter, infusion/injection (pharmacologic stress tests) and ECG strips (e.g., CPT® codes 36000, 36410, 96360-96376, 93000-93010, 93040-93042). These services should not be reported separately."

The manual is available online at www.cms.gov/NationalCorrectCodInitEd/.

Tip: If your practice bears the cost of the pharmacological stress agent, you may report the supply of the agent separately using the appropriate HCPCS code.