Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: A parent brings allergy serum to our office. The patient comes in once every two weeks for a nurse to administer her allergy injections from the serum the parent left with us. Codes 95115 and CPT 95117 indicate professional services for allergen immunotherapy. Does that mean the physician has to inject the serum? If so, which CPT® code do we charge?Answer:No, the phrase "professional services for allergen immunotherapy" refers to the work value for administering the injection (95115 or 95117). "These services are typically performed by a nurse and do not include physician work," notes CPT® Assistant Dec. 2007. If the physician also prescribes the allergen immunotherapy and makes up the allergenic extracts, 95120-95134 would be appropriate for "professional services for allergen immunotherapy in prescribing physician's office or institution, including provision of allergenic extract."In pediatrics, a patient may initially see an allergist who performs allergy testing, diagnoses the patient's [...]