Advanced Search

Revenue Cycle Insider

Otolaryngology Coding:

Know When Unspecified Is an Appropriate Classification

Published on Fri Jan 30, 2026

You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:

Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles of

January 2026

Otolaryngology Coding:
Know When Unspecified Is an Appropriate Classification
Question: A colleague said to try not to use unspecified ICD-10-CM codes. However, numerous patients [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Stay On Top of Your TB Coding With This Helpful Guide
Identify the correct IGRA testing codes. Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a form of TB that [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Note Place of Service Before Coding Incident-to
Question: A physician and several nurses in our primary care practice occasionally travel as a [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Breathe Easy With This Complete RSV Coding Guide
Know how to code for the “Big 3” RSV-related respiratory conditions. Has your lab been [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Use 4 Simple Strategies to Differentiate Migraine Codes
Hint: In many cases, you’ll be coding out to the 6th character. ICD-10-CM coding for [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Use Modifier 52 When a Catheter Is Present for a Urethrocystography
Question: I have a report of an encounter with a 68-year-old established patient. The patient [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Sort Out Global Package Status Indicator Confusion
Question: I’m new to coding and I’m still not clear on the global surgery packages. [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Get Answers to 5 Burning AI Questions From Coding Industry Experts
Could coders be used to train AI models in the future? Medical coders and auditors [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Use This Guide to Tackle Your Tendon Injection Claims
Remember to prove medical necessity. Providing therapeutic injections to tendons or ligaments are services that [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Separate Shunt Surgery From Neuroendoscopy
Question: The neurosurgeon created a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt to drain a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Learn How to Report a Sever’s Disease Diagnosis
Question: A pediatric patient presented to the podiatry clinic with complaints of pain in both [...]

Compliance:
Don’t Bill Incident to in Avoidance of Sanctions
Question: There’s a doctor who recently joined our practice from out of state and is [...]

General Coding:
List Procedure by RVU, Not Cost
Question: When I’m reporting multiple procedures on a claim, which should I list first? And [...]

E/M Coding:
Know Status of RN When Calculating E/M Level
Question: I work at an office that prescribes birth control. Sometimes, registered nurses (RNs) counsel [...]

Practice Management:
Try These Tips to Ease Pain Points in Your Revenue Cycle
Making decisions around patient convenience can be a fruitful investment. Incorporating certain technologies into your [...]

Technology & Innovation:
Provide Patients With Presbyopia Relief
Question: Our practice sees several middle-aged patients who experience a decline in their ability to [...]

Urology Coding:
Test Your Skills With These Pediatric Urology Coding Scenarios
Tip: Remember to add supplementary testing codes when needed. Pediatric urology procedures and visits are [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Find Tips for Comprehensive Coding on Preventive Care Encounters
Hint: Rely on E/M codes for commercial payers and HCPCS for Medicare. Preventive care visits [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Imagine Coding Achilles Imaging Scenarios With Ease
Method is key to correctly coding these Achilles procedures. When a patient experiences an injury [...]

General Coding:
Lean on Multiple Choice for Query Gold Standard
Question: Which is the “safest” type of written query format: open-ended, multiple choice, or yes/no? [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Take These 2 Tips, Report Lesion Removal and Different-Day Tissue Transfer Correctly
Question: One of our otolaryngologists excised a lesion from a patient’s nose with an excised [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Hook The Correct Code for Lens Subluxation
Question: A patient presented to urgent care following an injury during a boxing training session. [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Look to an Unlisted Code For Plantar Fascia Fenestration
Question: I have a report for a procedure performed at our podiatry clinic. The patient [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Don’t Get Caught Flatfooted When Coding Pes Planus
Is there a single code for flat feet correction? Flat feet — clinically referred to [...]

E/M Coding:
Don’t Use 94451 for Referring Physician’s Work
Question: A provider in my practice reached out to another physician to consult on a [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Remember External Cause Code With Concussion Dx
Question: A patient reports to the neurosurgeon with symptoms of headache, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating. [...]

Practice Management:
Rely On Technology for Tightening Team Communication
Question: I’m trying to get my coding team on the same page, generally, but I’m [...]

Practice Management:
Work Through Backlogs via Specific Goals
Question: I just joined a practice and am shocked by the backlog of claims that [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Check Out These Ophthalmology CPT® 2026 Changes
Question: Does the CPT® code set have any optometry or ophthalmology code changes in 2026? [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Get a Handle on the 2 MPFS Conversion Factors in 2026
Revenue cycle management teams should expect ongoing payment differences between QP and non-QP providers. The [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Know Actual ‘Housebound’ Definition
Question: The providers I work for see a lot of elderly Medicare beneficiaries who rarely [...]

In Case You Missed It (RCI Bonus Content):
Spotlight on 2026 Medicare Policy Changes
Find out if your practice will be affected by these significant developments. A new year [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Secure Incision and Drainage Pay With 5 Key Tips
Differentiate simple from complicated to nail down the right code. When your emergency department (ED) [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Choosing the Correct Code for Documented Endometriosis
Question: My provider documented “endometriosis with chronic pelvic pain” after performing a diagnostic laparoscopy. The [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Find CPT® and ASA Crosswalk Solutions for Discectomy Coding
Question: How should I code anesthesia services for a discectomy? Oklahoma Subscriber Answer: For a [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Code Acute Appendicitis Without Peritonitis Like This
Question: A surgeon documents “acute appendicitis” and explicitly states that the patient does not have [...]

Compliance:
Know Difference Between Documentation Amendment and Addendum
Question: Why can’t a provider “unsign” a medical record, and then go back in and [...]

Urology Coding:
Accurately Code This Kidney and Ureter Stone Case
Question: Can you help me to correctly choose the diagnosis code for a patient found to [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Here’s How to Confidently Navigate Coding Arthrodesis for Spinal Deformity
Did you know that spinal deformity arthrodesis follows a different set of coding rules than [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Don’t Get Squeezed for Missing This Modifier
Question: A patient who previously underwent a mastectomy due to breast cancer came to our [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Learn How to Correctly Report Unlisted Procedures
Plus, avoid common unlisted procedure billing errors. Unlisted CPT® codes are found within the Category [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Understand Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn’s Disease With This Guide
Here’s how location and depth of disease determine your diagnosis code. Coding for inflammatory bowel [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Look to Combination Code for Some Myelographies
Question: Encounter notes indicate that the PM specialist saw a patient with granulomas in the [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Recognize These Codes for Remote Pulse Ox Monitoring
Question: Our pulmonology practice just started offering remote physiological monitoring (RPM) for our patients. Can [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Pinpoint the Difference Between Pulmonary Hypertension and Heart Failure
Question: Is pulmonary hypertension considered a type of heart failure? Florida Subscriber Answer: No, pulmonary [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Ask These 5 Questions, Get Your Epistaxis Coding Under Control
Know when you should, and should not, code for laterality. When your otolaryngologist performs nosebleed [...]

ICD-10 Coding:
6 Steps Show You How to Code Tachycardia Diagnoses Accurately
Learn what to look for in your physician’s documentation. Tachycardia coding can be tricky because [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Consider These Aspects of Procedure Coding for Postoperative Pain Management
Hint: Look to the anatomical approach to find the right code. Procedure coding will depend [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Modify Your Understanding of QW Use
Question: I am still confused about when to append modifier QW to a lab test. [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Does a Periprosthetic Fracture Treatment Need Modifier 22?
Question: I’m new to orthopedic coding and I’m looking for a second opinion on the [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Identify How to Report a Knee Joint Scar Excision
Question: How should I report an intra-articular scar excision? I’ve always been told to use [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Consult This 88323 Advice
Question: When our pathologist receives material from another physician for slide preparation and interpretation, should [...]

Compliance:
Use These Strategies to Align Your CDI and Coding Teams
Hint: Compliance programs offer built-in structures you can use. Moving from siloed to collaborative models [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Unravel This Ringworm Encounter
Question: I’m new to coding and I have no idea where to even begin with [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Know When to Roll ECG Interpretation Into E/M
Question: The emergency department (ED) physician orders an electrocardiogram (ECG) for a patient having chest [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Use These New Immunization Counseling Codes in Your Practice
When vaccine visits result in refusal, these codes will still result in reimbursement. Beginning January [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Count On a Calculus Code for a Gallstone Diagnosis
Question: I have a record of an encounter with a patient who presented to the [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Take Note of These 2026 Rad Onc Code Additions and Revisions
Plenty of G code deletions will help make your life easier! This year, the Radiation [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Take This Advice to Code Screening Mammograms Correctly
Question: I am still confused about the correct way to code for a screening mammography, especially [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Medicare Part B Covers a Separate Cognitive Assessment Visit
Question: We have a few patients that are complaining about mental decline. I thought I [...]

Technology & Innovation:
Learn How You Can Build Your AI Skills
Question: How can coders, auditors, and other personnel in the health information management (HIM) profession [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Correctly Code These Separate but Equal Encounters
Question: A parent came in with their twin children, who were showing signs of having [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
After Cancer Surgery, Look to This Modifier for Chemo Plan
Question: When can we bill a visit after a surgery for cancer? My colleague says [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Learn How to Report an EGD With Stent Exchange Procedure
Question: I have a report for an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with a stent removal and stent [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Report Perimenopause With Precision Using the N95.- Codes
Know when to report perimenopause and when to report symptoms. Perimenopause is a transitional phase [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Avoid P Codes for Breastfeeding Counseling
Question: A patient who had problems breastfeeding their newborn came to see our ob-gyn. What [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Pick the Correct Pink Eye Codes With This Handy Guide
Remember to pay attention to code notes. Conjunctivitis, often called “pink eye,” is a frequently [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Understand MDM Definitions for Chronic Conditions
Question: We are treating a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The condition is not [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Atrial Fibrillation Ablations: A Practical Guide to Submitting Medical Claims
Don’t miss these potential add-on codes. As a medical coder working in cardiology, electrophysiology (EP), [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Reporting 93246: What Documentation Is Necessary?
Question: I’m preparing to submit a claim with 93246, but I want to make sure [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Beware of Included Services Causing Denials
Question: I am relatively new to coding and recently had a claim denied. One of [...]

Urology Coding:
Code This Combo Repair Procedure
Question: What is the appropriate procedure coding for an escutcheonectomy in conjunction with a scrotoplasty and [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Do I Need a Modifier for 93010?
Question: After a patient undergoes cardiac surgery and is discharged, the cardiologist performs a postoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Know Complexity Definitions to Nail Wound Repair Coding
Question: A patient reports to the emergency department (ED) with two wounds on their trunk. [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Dig Deep for Drug Dependence Dx
Question: If a patient suffers from clonazepam (Klonopin) dependence with withdrawal, what is the appropriate [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Find the Solution to This Fungal Case
Question: A patient came in stating they noticed a gradual thickening and discoloration of their [...]

E/M Coding:
Use These Tips to Select the Right E/M Code in the Hospital Setting
Is it an observation, consultation, or an office visit? Refresh your E/M coding skills for [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Use This Process for FBR Anesthesia Coding
Question: How do I code the anesthesia service for a foreign body removal in the [...]

General Coding:
Getting Past The Velvet Rope: Master Prior Authorization to Unlock Medical Payments
Find tips for achieving successful prior authorizations. The best experiences are often behind a “velvet [...]

View All