Cardiology Coding Alert

Question: My cardiologist used an open technique and made an incision in the patient’s skin over the vessel for exposure. My cardiologist placed the stent in the carotid artery. They incised the vessel longitudinally to access the area requiring a stent. Using a needle and guide wire to enter the vessel, my cardiologist advanced a catheter over the guide wire toward the area requiring treatment. They then injected contrast material into the vessel to locate the exact area of narrowing and determine the extent of the narrowing. My cardiologist also performed an angioplasty to prepare the site. They delivered the stent to the site of the occlusion to increase the diameter of the stenosed vessel and keep it open. My cardiologist used radiological guidance to place the stent inside the vessel lumen. They withdrew the catheter when they determined that the vessel was sufficiently open. Finally, my cardiologist closed the access site using an arterial closure device. Which procedure code should I report for this procedure?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: You should report 37236 (Transcatheter placement of an intravascular stent(s) (except lower extremity artery(s) for occlusive disease, cervical carotid, extracranial vertebral or intrathoracic carotid, intracranial, or coronary), open or percutaneous, including radiological supervision and interpretation and including all angioplasty within the same vessel, when performed; initial artery) for this procedure.

Don’t miss: For each additional artery, you should report use +37237 (… each additional artery (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure).

However, you should not report radiological supervision and interpretation separately nor the angioplasty when your cardiologist performs an angioplasty.