Radiology Coding Alert

Question: Which HCPCS code should I use to report Eovist MRI contrast? North Carolina Subscriber Answer: You should verify the appropriate code with your payer, but the most likely option is A9579 (Injection, gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agent, not otherwise specified [NOS], per ml). Here's why: HCPCS doesn't currently offer a specific Eovist (gadoxetate disodium) code for physician claims. (Code C9246 [Injection, gadoxetate disodium, per ml] does describe Eovist, but HCPCS guidelines state that C codes "can only be reported for facility [technical] services.") Because you don't have a specific HCPCS code for your physician claim, you should choose a "not otherwise specified" code. CIGNA Government Services, the Part B carrier for North Carolina, for example, lists Eovist on its "Not Otherwise Classified Drug" Part B Fee Schedule (under Option 3 at www.cignagovernmentservices.com/partb/coverage/fees/index.html for the most recent listing). Eovist, used specifically to detect lesions in the liver, is a [...]