D&C following treatment of missed abortion

[vicki.campbell@awomansview.com]

We have a patient that had a missed abortion and underwent treatment of missed abortion (CPT 59820). She presented the next day and was diagnosed with retained products of conception. We did a dilation and curettage. Would this be coded as 59160? I'm second-guessing myself. Thanks!

 

[FLoweRS24]

You are correct and I would also add modifier 76 as the 59820 carries 90 postop global days.

 

[Cmama12]

I would not use 59160 here - the patient did not deliver. Nor modifier 76. I would use 59812-78 for an incomplete abortion.

 

[nielynco]

We have a patient that had a missed abortion and underwent treatment of missed abortion (CPT 59820). She presented the next day and was diagnosed with retained products of conception. We did a dilation and curettage. Would this be coded as 59160? I'm second-guessing myself. Thanks!

Interesting. The 59820 includes evacuating the uterus of the contents which should have been verified at the time of the procedure. Take a good look at the documentation. If the D&C was done the next day by the same provider I would think carefully about billing for it. But if you do bill, it is no longer a missed abortion, but an incomplete abortion and the code would be 59812. The modifier would be -78, not -76 as he/she is not performing the same procedure again.