Radiology Coding Alert

You can leave confusing "not otherwise classified" codes behind for a few more of the contrast agents that you use.

For services on or after Jan. 1, be sure you're using the product-specific codes detailed below. Not using the proper codes will lead to claim rejection, which means "not receiving the proper reimbursement. And no one wants to start out their new year that way," points out Lisa Martin, CPC, CPC-IM, CPC-I, an instructor for the AAPC's Professional Medical Coding Curriculum.

HCPCS 2010 adds A9583 (Injection, gadofosveset trisodium, 1 ml) to report Vasovist, an intravascular contrast agent designed for MRI.

Eovist, another MRI contrast agent, also will have its own code: A9581 (Injection, gadoxetate disodium, 1 ml). This contrast is aimed specifically at diagnosing liver disorders.

Another new code is A9582 (Iodine i-123 iobenguane, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 15 millicuries) for AdreView, which is a molecular imaging agent that helps physicians detect rare neuroendocrine tumors

In addition to these new codes, Cardiolite's code gets a little shorter. HCPCS has removed the confusing phrase "up to 40 millicuries," effective Jan. 1, 2010:

• 2009: A9500 -- Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi, diagnostic, per study dose, up to 40 millicuries

• 2010: A9500 -- Technetium Tc-99m sestamibi, diagnostic, per study dose.

Caution: As in 2009, verify with your payer what it considers to be a "study." For example, typically, you should be able to report one dose for a myocardial perfusion imaging's rest phase and one dose for the stress phase, but a few payers may consider the two phases to be a single study.

Resource: You can download the 2010 HCPCS codes at www.cms.hhs.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/ANHCPCS/list.asp.