Wiki E/M & audiometry

[southbaymed]

this is 3rd time to post question I am facing and appreciate the clear cut answer.
A provider, when he gives level 5 E/M or routine physical, always does hearing test using Audiometry. We used to bill with 92551(screening test, pure tone, air only); however the device used is Audiometry. The original purpose was to screen hearing. Some patients show abnormal result which are stated in the chart clearly. So the provider asked if we can use 92552(audiometry) not 92551 with appropriate ICD-9.
I am not comfortable the situation, but not able to find the against it.
Just want to know is this correct or acceptalbe.?

Thank you

 

[MARTIN#45]

92551 is for screening, -air only-pt responds to tones at different pitches with earphones
(limited study only a few diff tones are used) if pt fails then additional testing would be
needed. If you do additional testing at that time , you would need to do a series of
tones at different pitches and intensity, the threshold of the lowest intensity that the pt can hear at approx 50% of the time is the used as baseline for testing both ears at that
level. That is when you would code a 99522.


hope this helps

 

[southbaymed]

Thank you for the clear explanation. So even the originally "screenin" was the purpose,
after screening if abonrmality is reported, we can code 92552.

 

[MARTIN#45]

Yes, if you do the additional testing at that time you can code for the 92552.