Wiki 59160 and 59812

[ipic314@gmail.com]

Hello,

Patient delivered newborn at 38 weeks but developed postpartum hemorrhage. My provider is trying to bill the suction and D&C for postpartum hemorrhage as 59812.

However, I believe 59160 would be more applicable. However, the description of 59160 states its when the physician scrapes the endometrial lining of the uterus following childbirth, but my provider did a suction curettage.

Can you help?

 

[csperoni]

59812 treatment of incomplete abortion, any trimester, completed surgically is definitely incorrect.
From my experience when providers use the word curettage, they used a surgical instrument (curette) that scrapes the endometrial lining. It may have been used in conjuction with suction. 59160 curettage, postpartum seems the correct code if the provider performed a suction D&C after delivery.