Wiki Nuclear Stress Coding

[10marty]

Our cardiologists will soon be doing the nuclear interpretation of stress testing as well as the cardiology portion in the hospital/outpatient setting. We do not own the equipment. I know the cardiology codes 93016, 93018, but what are the nuclear codes?

Thank you

Marty

 

[peeya]

93350-26

 

[10marty]

93350-26 is the PC for stress echo's. I was looking for the codes to bill the nuclear interpretations of nuclear stress tests.

I suspect 78452-26?

Marty

 

[peeya]

yes it is 78452-26

 

[Dorthi]

Modifier

78452- not pd
a9502-pd
93015-pd

was denied by bcbs is that because we didn't use -26?

They are saying it is a bundled code, is it a bundled or do we need a -26?

Thanks so much!
Dorthi

 

[Dorthi]

more info

Ok so I was just told more info on this, sorry I am the middle man. Ok so we do the stress test, and bill for it, then a cardiologist, bills for the read. So with that being said do we bill 78452-26 or without?
The read would be -TC correct? And -26 would not interfere with the pmt for the dr billing for the read correct?

 

[polycoder]

if you are billing for the hosp side , use TC.

 

[Dorthi]

Stress test

No we are a Dr office. so should we be using a -26 or should we not because the other Dr is reading it?

 

[ccollison]

nuclear stress test interprets

If your dr is reading & supervising the stress test, use 93016 & 93018. If he is also reading the nuclear portion of the test, use 78452-26. But if, as you mentioned, another dr (radiologist) is reading the nuclear scan, there is nothing else to bill.