J2505 neulasta/chemo

[zaidaaquino]

According to the labeling of Neulasta, it should not be administered in the period between 14 days before and 24 hours after administration of chemotherapy. Example: Neulasta is given the 1st of the month. Chemotherapy should not be given until the 15th of the month, correct?

 

[Attersgal]

The practice that I worked for only advised the coders that it "should not" be administered until 24hrs after chemo, but; we would have patients which would be receiving the same day as chemo.

 

[CFisher5]

That is correct. Usually Neulasta is given once per cycle depending on the patient and the regiment that they are on. In our practice the Neulasta shot is given usually around 3 days after the last treatment of that cycle when the next cycle begins at least 15 days after the date of the shot. As far as I have seen (and I am the only coder so I know everything that gets billed out) we have never given Neulasta with a cytotoxic drug on the same date, but we have given it with non-cytotoxic drugs on rare occasions. If you have a concern about the administration of drugs and if it is incorrect or possibly harmful to the patient, you may want to ask one of the nurses first (in an extremely nice way lol) if this is how Neulasta works or if there is some special exception that you are not aware of. I tell my nurses "I always want to learn more so we get paid by insurance because I like my paycheck" lol. They are usually helpful if they are not super busy.