Otolaryngology Coding Alert

Question:When our otolaryngologist performs 69801 in-office, can we bill for the binocular microscopy separately?Colorado SubscriberAnswer:No. You cannot bill 92504 (Binocular microscopy [separate diagnostic procedure]) for the binocular microscope with 69801 (Labyrinthotomy, with perfusion of vestibuloactive drug[s]; transcanal). Don't forget that 92504 is a separate procedure, meaning it is intrinsically included in anything else done in the ear. Separate procedures are components of anything else done in that area of the body and cannot be separately billed or coded. You can bill separate procedure when they are the only procedure done.Example 1: Your otolaryngologist suspects a foreign body in a patient's ear. She looks in the ear, but doesn't find a FB. Because the physician didn't find and remove any objects, you should bill the look-see service with the binocular microscope (92504). If he had removed a foreign body from the external auditory canal, you would instead code the FB removal [...]