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Radiology Coding Alert

Diagnostic Radiology:

73070 or 73080? Knowing How to Count Views Is the Key

Published on Fri Nov 04, 2011

Take advantage of 77071 opportunities for a $47 boost.You may code a lot of diagnostic X-rays, but are you sure you're appropriately reporting these? The key to accuracy in X-ray coding is the number of views, not the number of films. You also need to append the correct modifiers for bilateral views, distinct services, and repeat procedures.Count the Views, Identify LocationTo help ensure you're reporting X-ray views correctly, scan the procedure note for the number of views ordered and performed to visualize the target anatomy. Where the number of views is not mentioned, you should report the code indicating the lowest number of views.Consider the elbow: "Simply stating that the X-rays of the elbow were taken and are negative for fracture, is not adequate documentation," says Heidi Stout, BA, CPC, COSC, PCS, CCS-P, of Coder on Call, Inc., Milltown, N.J., and The Coding Network, LLC. "Necessary components of the X-ray [...]
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