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Pulmonology Coding Alert

You Be The Coder :

Clarify Multiple Lobe Modifier Use

Published on Mon Jun 01, 2009

Question: Can I append 59 (Distinct procedural service) to 31625 if the pulmonologist biopsies two different lobes? Would I also need to use modifier 51 (Multiple procedures) with these bronchoscopy codes? Answer: When a pulmonologist performs a transbronchial lung biopsy in two different lobes, you may report 31628 ( Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, with or without fluouroscopic guidance; with transbronchial lung biopsy[s], single lobe) for the biopsy in the initial lobe, and +31632 (... with transbronchial lung biopsy[s], each additional lobe [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) for the biopsy taken in the additional lobe. Code +31632 is an "addon" code and doesn't require modifier 59 to indicate it is a distinct and separate service. Remember, you cannot report add-on codes by themselves, and you may use them only with an appropriate primary code (in this case 31628). Additionally, you are not required to use modifier 51 [...]
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