Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

The article "You Be the Coder: How Many G Codes Does Demo Project Demand?" in the April 2005 issue of Oncology Coding Alert advised coders to report G0356 (Hormonal antineoplastic) to account for the chemotherapy injection, then to add the G codes for the Medicare demonstration project.

Coders should not report G0356 as an initial chemo therapy code when participating in the Medicare demonstration project.

The article should have instructed coders to:

 Report G0357 (Intravenous, push technique, single or initial substance/drug) for the chemotherapy.

 Report G9021 (Chemotherapy assessment for nausea and/or vomiting, patient-reported, performed at the time of chemotherapy administration; assessment level one: not at all [for use in a Medicare-approved demonstration project]) for the patient's nausea/vomiting level.

 Report G9027 (Chemotherapy assessment for pain, patient-reported, performed at the time of chemotherapy administration, assessment level three: quite a bit [for use in a Medicare-approved demonstration project]) for the patient's pain level.

 Report G9031 (Chemotherapy assessment for lack of energy [fatigue], patient-reported, performed at the time of chemotherapy administration, assessment level three: quite a bit [for use in a Medicare-approved demonstration project]) for the patient's lack of energy (fatigue) level.