Outpatient Facility Coding Alert
Discern Between US Codes for Intraoperative Services
PDF
Question: Should I report 76536 for ultrasound (US) guidance during a total thyroidectomy? Is the ultrasound separately billable? The physician documents that the US is for incision site planning and to further evaluate the extension of the tumor. Wyoming Subscriber Answer: You should not report 76536 (Ultrasound, soft tissues of head and neck (eg, thyroid, parathyroid, parotid), real time with image documentation) for any US that the physician performs intraoperatively. If the physician opts to perform a US prior to surgery for evaluation and planning purposes, 76536 would be appropriate. For an intraoperative US, you should report 76998 (Ultrasonic guidance, intraoperative). A National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI, or CCI) check will reveal that no edit exists between 60220 (Total thyroid lobectomy, unilateral; with or without isthmusectomy) and 76998. However, you should be prepared to appeal a denial with the appropriate documentation to support 76998.
Related Articles
Outpatient Facility Coding Alert
- ICD-10-CM Updates:
Get Busy Learning This Brand-New Set of ICD-10-CM Codes
No specialty is safe when it comes to ICD-10-CM 2020. The 2020 edition of ICD-10-CM [...] - Compliance:
Begin Prep Now for New PAMA Rules and Regulations on ADIS Orders
See what it takes to streamline the process between ordering and furnishing providers. The year [...] - CPT® Coding:
Work Out 3 Unique Cataract Coding Cases
See how well you understand cataract bundling rules. Cataract services can be nuanced and complex, [...] - You Be the Coder:
Append Appropriate Modifier for OR Complication Treatments
Question: Our physician performed a cystoscopy, a right retrograde pyelogram, and a right ureteroscopy with stent [...] - Reader Question:
Think Outside the Joint for ALL Reconstructions
Question: What CPT® codes will I report for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair along [...] - Reader Question:
Use This Modifier for Transgender Screening Mammograms
Question: How do I code for a transgender patient receiving a screening mammogram? We have a [...] - Reader Question:
Discern Between US Codes for Intraoperative Services
Question: Should I report 76536 for ultrasound (US) guidance during a total thyroidectomy? Is the [...]