Pulmonology Coding Alert

Caveat: Don't mix 94010 and 94060, or you'll be in trouble.If you think dealing with pulmonary function test (PFT) codes is as easy as 1-2-3, you might be counting the chickens before they are hatched. PFT consists of the following procedures: Spirometry, lung volume, diffusion capacity, lung compliance and pulmonary  studies during exercise testing. Not familiarizing yourself with the appropriate CPT codes for PFT could send you down the audit line.Typically, you would come face-to-face with billing a PFT when your pulmonologist sees a patient with suspected or known lung disease. The physician needs a meticulous history and physical examination in order to verify the patient's lung condition and differentiate among disease entities.Example: A 57-year-old man with heavy smoking history presents to the pulmonologist's office for the first time with shortness of breath (786.05). On clinical examination, she  shows signs of underlying emphysema (492.8, Other emphysema). The pulmonologist orders PFTs [...]