Wiki CPT code VATS with drainage of pleural effusion-help please

sjh72

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VATS surgery is new to me and I was hoping for some assistance.

I cannot locate a code for VATS with draining of pleural effusion. I saw a post where it was said to use 32601. My encoder leads me to an unlisted code.

"Thoracoscope was introduced into the chest showing fair decompression of the right lung with a large serous effusion present. The effusion was then evacuated with a suction."

My other question is my provider always inserts a chest tube at the conclusion of the procedure. This is allowed to be coded separately with a 59 modifier per CCI edits. My gut is telling me this is wound be bundled. Does anyone code a chest tube with VATS surgeries?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I agree with the 32601 and at the end of each thoracoscopy description it has "A chest tube for drainage and re-expansion of the lung is usually inserted through the wound used for the thoracoscopy." so I never bill them separate.
 
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