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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Halo Removal

Published on Thu Nov 01, 2001

Test your coding knowledge.  Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.
Question: Is it appropriate to report 20665 for removal of a stereotactic halo?

Illinois Subscriber

    Answer: The descriptor for 20665 specifies "removal of tongs or halo applied by another physician" [emphasis added]. Therefore, it is only appropriate to report 20665 if the same physician did not bill for placement of the halo using 20661 (application of halo, including removal; cranial) or 61793 (stereotactic radiosurgery [particle beam, gamma ray or linear accelerator], one or more sessions), which, according to the national Correct Coding Initiative, bundles 20661-20665. Members of the same group, i.e., physicians with the same provider identification number, are treated as the same physician according to the regulations.
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