• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

Wiki Breast BX: DX Documented 174.9-Path report no cancer

Trendale

Guest
Messages
230
Location
Katy, TX
Best answers
0
Hello,can someone help me with the following scenario?: ( I don't code BX's that often)

Indication for the procedure: The patient presented to my office with an erythema edema of the left breast with nipple retraction. Findings were highly suspicious for inflammatory breast Ca and the patient was scheduled for a BX.
The first part I need help with codes. An oval incision was made to include some skin with BX and we went down , taking down some of the breast tissue as well. The BX was passed off the table. We now used Tru-Cut needle BX and did biopsies of all the quandrants of the breast. This will be sent together with the main BX.
As I understand it, if the physcian excises a portion of the mass use 19101, and I also coded 19100 for the needle BX.

Secod Part is my biggest concern. In the office note, the physcian stated the patient was highly suspiious for breast cancer, and for that office encounter, the DX went out as a 174.1. ( you do not code suspcious, likely, proabble for office) The path report came back with no Carcinoma identified.
As I understand it, do not document and code a definitive DX without path results. For the office note, the symptoms should have been coded, in which in this case it was inflammatory breast DZ-611.0 and 782.3
174.1 should not be on the patient's record at all baed on the path results.

Thanks!:)
 
Diagnosis of 174.1

Unfortunately for your patient she now has a cancer diagnosis in her medical / insurance record that will follow her forever.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC
 
Top