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Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

V Code Vital for TB Test Claim

Published on Mon Aug 11, 2008

Question: When our physician's staff applies a purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculosis (TB) test on a patient, what V code should I report? ICD-9 code V03.2 does not exactly describe the service. Do you have any coding tips?Mississippi SubscriberAnswer: You should report V74.1 (Special screening examination for bacterial and spirochetal diseases; pulmonary tuberculosis) when your physician's staff applies a PPD TB test. Code V03.2 (Need for prophylactic vaccination and inoculation against bacterial diseases; tuberculosis [BCG]) is for vaccination with BCG, whereas the PPD test is for screening. Report 86580 (Skin test; tuberculosis, intradermal) for the test and append V74.1.
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