Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Functional, selective, radical refer to the same procedure.Nine codes and five terms can challenge your thyroidectomy and neck dissection coding accuracy. See if you have the skills necessary to submit these scenarios accurately.Include Some Dissections in 60240-60271When coding for thyroidectomy (60240-60271), keep a close eye on the code descriptors. "Many of them include all of the procedures that the otolaryngologist performed, so you won't have to report additional codes for the auxiliary services," says Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPCH, CPC-P, CENTC, CHCC, president of N.J.-based CRN Healthcare Solutions.Example 1: Your otolaryngologist removes both thyroid lobes with the isthmus and pyramid lobe tissue. He also identifies and excises all enlarged lymph nodes. The malignancy has not spread significantly, so the otolaryngologist excises only a few selected lymph nodes. He ultimately performs a thyroidectomy with limited neck dissection.Solution 1: You should report only 60252 (Thyroidectomy, total or subtotal for malignancy; with [...]