Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Plus, add this new tympanometry code to your cache next year. One of CPT 2010's initiatives is to move several codes typically performed together into one code. Check out these new audiology testing codes and understand the rationale before Jan. 1 hits. For instance, if your physician performs a vestibular evaluation in 2010, you will report new global code 92540 (Basic vestibular evaluation, includes spontaneous nystagmus test with eccentric gaze fixation nystagmus, with recording, positional nystagmus test, minimum of four positions, with recording, optokinetic nystagmus test, bidirectional foveal and peripheral stimulation, with recording,and oscillating tracking test, with recording). Note the code descriptor describes "four different things are being done, with recording," says Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CENTC, CHCC, president of N.J.-based CRN Healthcare Solutions. Example: If your audiologist performs spontaneous, positional, ptokinectic and oscillating nystagmus testing, you would report only the "bundled" code (92540). Parenthetical instructions following [...]