Wiki Bronchoscopy with biopsy and washing

[colleenruane]

I am a student, I have a question about a problem in our book and am trying to understand how and why this is coded the way it is..

A surgeon performed a bronchoscopy with biopy and washing of the left lung.

The majority of us feel that the CPT code should just be 31625. But the book states that it should be 31622 AND 31625.

Why should there be 2 codes? doesn't 31625 fall under the 31622? isn't it understood that 31625 includes the services of 31622?

Please help!!

Thank you,

Colleen

 

[cfullum]

You are right, 31622 is included in 31625. If you look in the book 31625 is indented under 31622 which means it's included. I hope this helps.

 

[LindaEV]

Just 31625. You'll notice as well that 31622 is noted as a "separate procedure" which means it can usually only be billed when billed alone, otherwise it becomes part of the "bigger procedure" , in your case the 31625.

In a real life billing situation, you would have to check bundling edits...and those would tell you as well that you cant bill those two codes together.

 

[cmcgarry]

I teach coding at our local community college, and have noticed that the Step by Step textbook does give both codes as the answer to this, but with the explanation that they are usually bundled. When my students only have the 31625 as the answer, I don't count them wrong, because it shows they are thinking about all aspects, including CCI edits, etc.