Pinpoint the Correct CPT® Code for Induction
Question: I’m having a hard time choosing the correct code for this situation. Intrauterine death at 16 weeks was confirmed by ultrasound. The patient elected to have induction for treatment. They were admitted to hospital and were given three doses of misoprostol (administered vaginally), after which delivery of the fetus and placenta occurred. Would this be coded with an evaluation and management (E/M) code or a different code based on this scenario? Florida Subscriber Answer: Code 59855 (Induced abortion, by 1 or more vaginal suppositories (eg, prostaglandin) with or without cervical dilation (eg, laminaria), including hospital admission and visits, delivery of fetus and secundines) would match the work performed. But be sure to also report the diagnosis of fetal death prior to 20 weeks when you submit this code, even though the termination would be considered by the uninformed to be “elective.” You would use O02.1 (Missed abortion) since the fetal death occurred at less than 20 weeks and was retained at the beginning of the procedure. Suzanne Burmeister, BA, MPhil, Medical Writer and Editor
