Middle Turbinate resection (submucosal)

[dkanewi1]

I have a provider that performed both a inferior turbinate and middle turbinate submucous resection bilaterally. The CPT has a code for the the inferior 30140 and references 30999 (unlisted code) for the middle. I'm a bit stumped though, are they seperately billable? Has anyone ever billed for a similar surgery? Thanks!

 

[MMAYCOCK]

Turbinectomy

Are these the only 2 procedures being billed? Middle turbinate resection is an integral part of an ethomoidectomy, but the inferior should be pain in any case. Here is a portion of a good article from Supercoder and a link to the whole article:

Most insurers bundle the turbinectomy with the ethmoidectomy and assume that you're claiming a middle-turbinate excision. Companies deny 30130 (Excision turbinate, partial or complete, any method) or 30140 (Submucous resection turbinate, partial or complete, any method) with 31254 (Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ethmoidectomy, partial [anterior]) and 31255 (…with ethmoidectomy, total [anterior and posterior]) on the grounds that the otolaryngologist either performs the surgeries through the same excision or excises the turbinate to gain entry to the ethmoid.

You should, however, appeal inferior-turbinate denials using documentation that shows the surgeries as distinct procedures. Encourage the otolaryngologist to back his turbinectomy payment with these operative report specifics:



http://www.supercoder.com/articles/...-for-turbinectomy-payment-with-ethmoidectomy/