Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Check your LCDs to see if coverage is once every 2 years.If you find tracking Medicare's DXA claim restrictions on medical necessity and frequency a real chore, you're not alone. But you can simplify the process and reduce denials by following this expert advice on keeping DXA claims airtight.Scenario: Your ob-gyn orders an axial skeleton DXA for an estrogen-deficient female patient at risk for osteoporosis. You should report 77080 (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA], bone density study, 1 or more sites; axial skeleton [e.g., hips, pelvis, spine]) with V82.81 (Special screening for osteoporosis).ICD-10: When your diagnosis coding system changes in 2013, V82.81 will become Z13.820 (Encounter for screening for osteoporosis).For measuring bone density, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard, says experienced coder Donna Richmond with CodeRyte, in The Coding Institute's audioconference "Surefire Bone Density Screening Strategies."Tip 1: Get Your Documentation in OrderYour documentation must include an order from a [...]