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Radiology Coding Alert

Diagnostic Exams:

Keep Modified Barium Swallow Claims Clear With These 74230/92611 Tips

Published on Fri Aug 20, 2010

 Tip 1: Separate speech studies from swallowing studies. When your radiologist works with a speech-language pathologist to evaluate speech or swallowing function, you have to keep a close eye out both for which procedure they performed and which aspects your radiologist can report. Here's a closer look at the codes you need to know. Match 74230 to Modified Barium Swallow The service described by 74230 (Swallowing function, with cineradiography/ videoradiography) "is primarily performed for evaluating the patient's swallowing function," says Cheryl S. Schad, BA Ed, CPC, ACS-RA, PCS, president/CEO of Schad Medical Management in Mullica Hill, N.J. Term tip: "This study is also known as a modified barium swallow," says Schad. The swallowing study allows clinicians to evaluate the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and upper esophagus. Staff gives the patient various amounts of barium to swallow in several different consistencies, Schad notes. "Films are obtained at normal speed and in slow motion," [...]
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