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76942 and 78808 on a Single Claim Needs a Second Look

Published on Sun Apr 05, 2009

Did you predict CCI's edits for the new nuclear medicine code? 43,006. That's the number of additions Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) 15.0 creates. But never fear. The bulk of the edits aren't directed at changing the radiology services you report together. This round of CCI, effective Jan. 1, attacks the usual suspects -- such as including guidance codes 76942 (Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement ...) and 77002 (Fluoroscopic guidance for needle placement...) into a code whose descriptor includes imaging guidance: 55706 (Biopsies, prostate, needle, transperineal, stereotactic template guided saturation sampling, including imaging guidance). CCI also had to create new edits to reflect the changes to the hydration/infusion code digits. But watch out: Some changes aren't as obvious. In particular, ultrasonic guidance codes 76942 and 76998 (Ultrasonic guidance, intraoperative) are bundled into new code 78808 (Injection procedure for radiopharmaceutical localization by non-imaging probe study, intravenous [e.g., parathyroid adenoma]). Focus on New Code [...]
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