Wiki Post-reduction x-rays

[crestac]

Can someone please tell me if I can bill for pre- and post-reduction x-rays in the ER? I have recently been told that we can't bill for x-rays if there is not a radiology report. For example, a kid comes to the ER and has an obvious right forearm deformity after falling off his skateboard and the ER physician performs an x-ray to determine location and severity of the break. The doctor then performs an external fixation/reduction and then takes another x-ray to ensure proper reduction. Can I bill for 2 x-rays and then just add the -76 modifier to one of them if the x-rays weren't read and interpreted by a radiologist but were only used by the ER physician? Or does the Radiologist have to be the one who reads and reports in order to bill? (This is specifically hospital billing, not professional billing.)
Thanks for your help!

 

[Farrellandrews]

You cannot bill for the 2nd x-ray unless, for example, the kid went home and had another separate injury that same day and came back in and got an x-ray.

 

[crestac]

You cannot bill for the 2nd x-ray unless, for example, the kid went home and had another separate injury that same day and came back in and got an x-ray.

Thank you! Do you know if it has to be a Radiologist who reads and interprets the x-ray in order to report the x-ray charge?