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Wiki Lap Hernia Repairs

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mmelcam

mmelcam

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St. Louis, Missouri
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I would like to hear everyones opinion on how they are handling this scenario. If the physician does a lap ing hernia repair and also repairs an umbilical hernia at the same time, do you bill for the umbilical hernia? No seperate incision is made to repair the umbilical hernia, it is suture repaired when the trocar site at the umbilicus is closed. I have always understood it to be that if you want to bill for the umbilical hernia repair that it would have to be done through a seperate incision. I would really like some opinions on this subject.
 
for me...if there is documentation "prior" to surgery that proves that they knew this ahead of time and that they are going to repair this, I code it. If they just so happen to "find" it while they are doing the other hernia repair, I consider it incident to.
 
I personally feel that the suturing required to close the lap inguinal surgery also happens to repair the umbilical hernia. I think it would be considered inclusive.

Melissa-CPC :)
 
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