Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Published on Wed Oct 05, 2005 PDF

If your pathologist helps out during surgery, be sure documentation accurately reflects his services--and you can take advantage of a handful of new codes.

Pathologists will gain two new codes for pathologic consultation during surgery. New codes 88333-88334 both cover cytologic examination, such as touch prep or squash prep. They cover the initial site and each additional site, respectively.

And if your pathologist performs array-based evaluation of multiple molecular probes during surgery, then you’ll have three new codes to choose from (88384-88386). They cover 11 through 50 probes, 51 through 250 probes and 251 through 500 probes.

There are two new codes for occult blood tests by perioxidase activity: one for samples from “other sources” (82271) and one for a single specimen (e.g., from a digital rectalexam)(82272). Fecal lactoferrin tests are broken into two codes: qualitative (83630) and quantitative (83631).

You’ll also have four new codes for lipoproteine tests (83695-83704). And there are four new codes for molecular diagnostics of cells (83900 and 83907-83909). CPT Codes 2006 also adds a new code for siolimus drug assay (80195).

You’ll have a new code for a manometric study of duodenal motility (91022).  There’s also a new code for human papilloma virus vaccine (90649). It covers types 6, 11, 16 and 18, on a three-dose schedule. Finally, you’ll have a new code for tetanus and diptheria toxoids (90714) and zoster (shingles) vaccine (90736).