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Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Pick Units or Modifier For Multiple Specimens

Published on Fri May 04, 2012

Question: I'm getting conflicting instructions about how to report multiple units of "like" specimens, such as two skins. Should I use a modifier, and if so, which one?Texas SubscriberAnswer: For multiple units of "like" specimens, such as "two skins," you should report the code times the units, for most payers. For instance, for two distinct nevi, report 88305x2 (Level IV - Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination, skin, other than cyst/tag/debridement/plastic repair). In fact, you'd report any two 88305 specimens with the same date of service as 88305x2, even if they're not "like" specimens, such as a skin cancer excision and a lymph node biopsy (88305, ... lymph node biopsy).Obey payer rules: Although using units is common, some payers don't want you to list a single code with units for surgical pathology specimens from the same level of service. Instead, they may require you to report subsequent specimens after the [...]
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