Wiki NST coding

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kat_232

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I just got the OB coding at my job, and was told to code 59025 like this: 59025-26-24-25. Seems kinda... lengthy, especially when I have to also throw a -59 on for twins. They've apparently being doing that type of coding for years, but are the -24 and -25 necessary without other things being billed that day by our physicians (that I know of)? I think it should be coded as 59025-26 or, with twins, 59025-26-59, and it seems like the -24 and -25 would only be precautionary at best if they didn't know for sure if other charges are floating around out there, not on the same ticket.

By the way, yes our physicians are doing these at the hospital and interpreting the test, not using their own equipment.
 
too many modifiers ?

I bill 59025/26 when our physicians bill at the hospital. Sometimes I have to put a 25 on the OBS code billed the same day. And for twins, I would use 59025/26 x 2 with the dx of twins.
Kathy
 
NST Coding

Kat, I agree with you. We too use 59025-26, (no 24's or 25's) and then the 59025-26 twice with a 59 modifier on one when billing for twins.
 
Wow that's a lot of unnecessary work

The mod 26 is absolutely correct if you are coding using someone else's equipment but the 25 and 24 are pointless! The 25 modifier is for E&M codes ONLY (level visits, OBS, inpatient, consults, whatever) if billed in conjunction with a procedure or other service and 24 is only to be used after a patient has a surgical procedure and a separately identifiable E&M is billed (say you bill a delivery and the patient comes back in with a breast lump or something) the visit would be in the global period and then you would use the mod 24 to let the insurance carrier know that it isn't just a follow up visit. On the twins you would code 59025-26 for the first baby, 59025-26-59 for the second- I was always told to code it on two separate lines... Good luck!
 
NST Coding

Modifiers 24 and 25 are totally wrong for the 59025-26, but the -26 is correct in your scenario. Modifiers 24 and 25 are only valid on E & M codes.
 
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