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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Bilateral Cochlear Implants Create Programming-Code Dilemma

Published on Wed Apr 15, 2009

Professional associations go to bat for audiology coders. If your ENT performs cochlear implants, you're probably familiar with the codes for when an audiologist programs and reprograms the devices about a month after the surgery. In recent years, ENTs have performed a growing number of bilateral cochlear implants. 69930 (Cochlear device implantation, with or without mastoidectomy) may be reported with modifier 50 (Bilateral procedure). But what about the audiologists initialization and programming? Thats a question thats been bugging Charmaine Munt, field reimbursement manager at Advanced Bionics LLC, a Sylmar, Calif., manufacturer of cochlear implants. Munt has been hearing concerns from audiologists about coding for the programming when the procedure is bilateral. Its a very confusing topic, which appears to be a very gray area, she says. The problem: The programming codes cant be reported as binaural. Codes Havent Caught Up With Practice Audiology codes are typically bilateral, says Debbie Abel, [...]
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