General Surgery Coding Alert

Question: How can I report catheter maintenance following venous access procedures? I've checked everywhere in CPT and can't find an appropriate code. What about an unlisted-procedure code such as 37799?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: Even with the addition of dozens of new codes in 2004, no amount of searching through CPT will yield any codes for routine maintenance of central venous catheters: They simply aren't there. Rather, to report flushing or other maintenance of a catheter or partially implanted catheter (for example, 36556, Insertion of non-tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter; age 5 years or older) performed by office personnel under the supervision of a physician, assign 99211 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient ...). If the surgeon provides an E/M service on the same day as the catheter maintenance, the catheter maintenance is included in the larger E/M service.