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Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Foreign Body Removal:

Don't Get Stuck With Denials When Coding For Foreign Body Removals

Published on Sat May 22, 2010

Removing or moving foreign body -- the answer will lead you to two different codes.Deciphering whether your gastroenterologist removes a foreign body or simply moves it will determine which code you should report for the procedure. Ensure you're reporting foreign body removal (FBR) procedures appropriately, by knowing three facts. 1. Use 43247 for FBRs With a ScopeIf your gastroenterologist actually performs an FBR -- in other words, he extracts the foreign body -- you should report this using an FBR code such as 43247 (Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy including esophagus, stomach and either the duodenum and/or jejunum as appropriate; with removal of foreign body). Typically your gastroenterologist will use a scope to remove a foreign body in the esophagus. If circumstances support reporting a FBR, you should report it.Example: Suppose a portion of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube broke off during removal and the gastroenterologist had to use a scope to extract it. [...]
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