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Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Turbinate Procedures:

3 Q&As Rev Up Your Inferior Turbinate Coding Practices for 2011

Published on Mon Jan 17, 2011

Teach your staff this one vital rule: 1 turbinate = 1 code.The feds and local authorities are cracking down on billing multiple inferior turbinate procedures. Take this quiz to make sure your ENT's turbinate coding would withstand the scrutiny.Real consequences: An otolaryngologist almost lost his license for billing multiple turbinate procedures, warns Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CENTC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CHCC, president of CRN Healthcare Solutions, a consulting firm in Tinton Falls, N.J.Accurately Identify Inferior Turbinate ProceduresQuestion 1: On which turbinates does an ENT perform 30130-30140, 30801-30802 and 30930?Answer 1: As of 2006 these codes all apply to the inferior turbinate(s) only:30130 -- Excision inferior turbinate, partial or complete, any method30140 -- Submucous resection inferior turbinate, partial or complete, any method30801 - Cautery and/or ablation, mucosa of inferior turbinates, unilateral or bilateral, any method; superficial30802 -- ... intramural30930 -- Fracture nasal inferior turbinate(s), therapeutic.If your ENT performs services on the middle turbinates, you should [...]
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