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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

CCI 17.2:

88387, +88388: Expect New Restrictions for Molecular Diagnostics Prep

Published on Thu Jul 07, 2011

Beware C. diff and HLA crossmatch bundles, too.Already hemmed in by CPT® instruction and prior Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits, you'll find even fewer times you can report macrodissection tissue prep for molecular diagnostics, based on third quarter changes.CCI version 17.2, which takes effect July 1, offers 2,367 new edit pairs and deletes 336 bundles, according to an analysis by Frank Cohen, MPA, MBB, principal and senior analyst with The Frank Cohen Group, LLC. Nearly 125 of those new edit pairs involve the following pathology codes:88387 -- Macroscopic examination, dissection, and preparation of tissue for nonmicroscopic analytical studies (e.g., nucleic acid-based molecular studies); each tissue preparation (e.g., a single lymph node)+88388 -- ... in conjunction with a touch imprint, intraoperative consultation, or frozen section, each tissue preparation (e.g., a single lymph node) (List separately inaddition to code for primary procedure).Prepare to Pigeonhole How You Use 88387, +88388Adding codes 88387 and +88388 to [...]
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