Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Question: Our gastroenterologist meets an established Medicare patient with a malfunctioning gastrostomy tube (G tube) at the local hospital. The gastroenterologist performs a detailed history and physical exam, orders labs and IV fluids for rehydration, and admits the patient to inpatient status. Examination of the tube shows a significant clog. The gastroenterologist replaces the tube and uses radiological interpretation to guarantee proper tube placement. The physician decides to keep the patient in the hospital for monitoring. Can I report a code for the radiological interpretation? Tennessee Subscriber Answer: You should select a CPT code that represents both the G tube placement and the radiological service. On the claim, report the following: • 75984 (Change of percutaneous tube or drainage catheter with contrast monitoring [e.g., genitourinary system, abscess], radiological supervision and interpretation) for the G tube replacement • modifier 26 (Professional component) appended to 75984 to show you are only coding [...]