Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Eliminate -orphan- code to clean up FOBT claims. After three years of confusion about how to code screening vs. diagnostic fecal occult blood tests, CMS removes questions -- by removing a code. The code in question is G0394 (Blood occult test [e.g., guaiac], feces, for single determination for colorectal neoplasm [e.g., patient was provided three cards or single triple card for consecutive collection]), which was introduced in 2006. Stop Using HCPCS Level II Code In an emergency update to the 2009 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) dated Jan. 2, CMS directed contractors to "manually end-date code G0394 effective Dec. 31, 2008" and "manually remove code G0394 from the 2009 [MPFS] file." The CMS notice aligns with the fact that HCPCS 2009 deletes G0394. Regardless of how you-ve used this code in the past -- whether for screening or diagnostic FOBT, depending on your payer's direction -- you should no longer be reporting G0394 [...]