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Pulmonology Coding Alert

You Be the Coder :

Be Careful Unbreaking Ties Between 93720, PFT

Published on Mon Feb 28, 2011

Question: Can I bill Medicare for code 93720 in addition to the other PFT codes?Answer: Carriers consider any pulmonary function tests (PFTs) that measure factors like thoracic gas volume, compliance of the lung, airway resistance and airway conductance as components of 93720 (Plethysmography, total body; with interpretation and report).For instance, if the pulmonary function laboratory measured thoracic gas volume (94260) and airway resistance with a body plethysmograph (93720), then you would only report the plethysmography portion since payers bundle airway resistance with the plethysmography code, you cannot bill it separately.Alternative: You may report a medically necessary PFT as long as your documentation can support that it was completed as a separate and necessary procedure.
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