Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Proper patient participation a must for 82270. Coding for your gastroenterologist's fecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) depends heavily on patient status at the time of the test. Further, you'll have to remember that Medicare recently deleted one of its G codes for FOBTs. Steer clear of FOBT coding follies with this expert advice. For Patients Without Symptoms, Choose 82270 Report 82270 (Blood, occult, by peroxidase activity [e.g., guaiac], qualitative; feces, consecutive collected specimens with single determination, for colorectal neoplasm screening [i.e., patient was provided 3 cards or single triple card for consecutive collection]) for your gastroenterologist's screening tests, confirms Melanie Witt, CPCOGS, MA, a coding expert based out of Guadalupita, N.M. On 82270 claims, "the patient must take the cards home, obtain the samples himself, and return them to the physician. It is a requirement for reporting this code," stresses Kent Moore, manager of health care financing and delivery systems [...]