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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Demystify Declotting Code

Published on Thu Mar 01, 2007

Question: Can I report 36550 for declotting a catheter using Activase after nurses couldn't get a blood return from a port? The nursing staff told me this is separate from accessing a chemo infusion site.

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: You should be able to report 36550 (Declotting by thrombolytic agent of implanted vascular access device or catheter) for this declotting service.
Key: Activase is a thrombolytic agent. The descriptor says, -by thrombolytic agent,- so if the provider didn't use a thrombolytic agent, you could not use this code.
You should also let the clinical staff know to clearly docaument this procedure in the patient's medical record
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