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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Report Incorrect Readings

Published on Wed Oct 15, 2003

Question: Should we code a hearing test when the test is inaccurate? When an audiologist performs comprehensive audiometry threshold (92557), tympanometry (92567) and evoked otoacoustic emissions (92588), should we report all three codes? If she receives an inaccurate reading, should we still report the diagnostic workup?

New York Subscriber Answer: You should report the nonbundled hearing assessments (92557, Comprehensive audiometry threshold evaluation and speech recognition; 92567, Tympanometry [impedance testing]); and 92588, Evoked otoacoustic emissions; comprehensive or diagnostic evaluation [comparison of transient and/or distortion product otoacoustic emissions at multiple levels and frequencies]) as you normally would. Even though the machine gave an inaccurate reading, the audiologist completed the services. Therefore, you don't need to append an "incomplete" modifier - such as modifier -52 (Reduced services) for reduced services or modifier -53 (Discontinued procedure) for electively discontinued procedures - to the audiologic diagnostic testing codes.
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