You Be the Coder:
Get Through With Your PST Billing
Published on Fri May 27, 2011
Question: Who should have pulmonary stress testing? What are the requisites to conduct this test in the office? I know I have to use 94620 when billing for pulmonary stress testing, but I'd like to know the specifics.Georgia SubscriberAnswer: Performing pulmonary stress testing (PST) in the office most commonly takes place as the 6-Minute Walk" having the patient walk in the hallway (of approximately 100 feet in length) for six minutes, and measuring her breathing rate. During the test, when the physician notices a certain level of shortness of breath, she may prescribe oxygen or other medications for the patient. The physician may also ask the patient to come back for another test, if only to ensure that the therapy is working properly. Patients with COPD (496, Chronic airway obstruction, not elsewhere classified) or other chronic pulmonary and cardiac disorders are usually the subjects of PST. When you bill for [...]