Wiki Correct coding for a non diagnostic echocardiogram

[heggie1@yahoo.com]

Hi. I need some help with coding a non diagnostic echocardiogram. The patient was obese and the tech could not see very well. The provider documented poor visualization on all areas of the study then stated "technically limited study/BSA/poor visualization/non-diagnostic study." Is this billable?

 

[Cyndi113]

Heather,

If not for diagnostic purposes, why was the echo done?

 

[heggie1@yahoo.com]

The echo was done because the patient had an abnormal ekg, but the results of the echo were non-diagnostic.

 

[srinivas r sajja]

we don't bill non-diagnostic studies.

 

[heggie1@yahoo.com]

I am sorry, I may have confused you with the way I worded my question. The echo was done for diagnostic purposes, but the provider could not diagnose the patient based on the results of the echo. The visualization was very poor.

 

[theresa.dix@tennova.com]

I am sorry, I may have confused you with the way I worded my question. The echo was done for diagnostic purposes, but the provider could not diagnose the patient based on the results of the echo. The visualization was very poor.

Yes this is billable. If the physician stated the echo was limited study and said something like. LV -RV -LA-RA- mitral-aortic-tricuspid- pericardium-aortic root was not able to be seen, doppler,color flow was done then you can bill 93306. If anything less then this was documented then you would need to bill the limited study echo.

 

[heggie1@yahoo.com]

Thank you Theresa.