Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: For LHC with a left ventriculography and angiography of the LCX, LAD, and RCA, should I report 93556 once or three times?Georgia SubscriberAnswer: Even though the cardiologist obtained angiograms of three coronary arteries, you may only report one unit of 93556 (Imaging supervision, interpretation and report for injection procedure[s] during cardiac catheterization; pulmonary angiography, aortography, and/or selective coronary angiography including venous bypass grafts and arterial conduits [whether native or used in bypass]).Support: CPT Assistant (1994) indicates that "Code 93556 is reported only once, no matter how many of the described angiograms are performed."Additional codes: Don't forget to report all of the codes appropriate for this left heart catheterization (LHC), appending modifier 26 (Professional component) to those codes with both professional and technical components:93510-26 -- Left heart catheterization, retrograde, from the brachial artery, axillary artery or femoral artery; percutaneous93543 -- Injection procedure during cardiac catheterization; for selective left ventricular or left atrial [...]