Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: How should I code an intervention on an ostial LAD?

Georgia Subscriber

Answer: First, determine what type of intervention the physician performed -- for instance, stent placement, atherectomy or balloon angioplasty.

For stent placement on the left anterior descending artery (LAD), you would report 92980-LD (Transcatheter placement of an intracoronary stent[s], percutaneous, with or without other therapeutic intervention, any method; single vessel; left anterior descending coronary artery).

If the physician performed an atherectomy, you would report 92995-LD (Percutaneous transluminal coronary atherectomy, by mechanical or other method, with or without balloon angioplasty; single vessel).
 
For a balloon angioplasty, you'll use 92982-LD (Percutaneous transluminal coronary balloon angioplasty; single vessel).

Choose wisely: You can choose only one of these codes to describe the intervention, so report the code that reflects the highest level of service.