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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Strike +69990 From Your ASC List

Published on Sun Sep 06, 2009

Question: I code visits to an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), and one of my otolaryngologists wants to use 69990. When should I use this procedure code? Florida Subscriber Answer: In an ASC, you will never be able to bill microsurgery. CMS assigned +69990 (Microsurgical Page 86 Get CPC® certified in 4 days -- CodingCert.com 2009, Vol. 11, No. 10/Otolaryngology Coding Alert techniques ...) a payment indicator of N1 (Packaged service/item; no separate payment made), meaning the surgical procedure always includes the microdissection. This shouldn't be much of a surprise. Code +69990 tends to be bundled into most ENT codes, regardless of location.
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