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ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Reader Questions:

Check Dwelling Status, Choose Correct Cath Code

Published on Sun Feb 17, 2008

Question: A female patient reports to the ED complaining of burning during urination and pelvic pain. The nurse is unable to place a catheter, and to rule out a urinary tract infection (UTI), the physician performs a bladder catheterization. Notes indicate that the physician used a quick catheter kit to obtain the sample using standard sterile technique. No UTI was present. What is the code for this procedure? Michigan Subscriber Answer: The quick catheter indicates that the physician performed a straight catheterization. On the claim, report the following: - 51701 (Insertion of non-indwelling bladder catheter [e.g., straight catheterization for residual urine]) for the catheterization - 788.1 (Dysuria) and 625.9 (Unspecified symptom associated with female genital organs) appended to 51701 to represent the patient's symptoms.
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