Wiki Pulmonology EBUS coding

[adminservices]

we are having a disagreement between the coders.

how would we code:
Procedure:
Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial ultrasound with transbronchial needle aspiration of station 4R lymph node, transbronchial biopsy with radial ultrasound, endobronchial biopsy.

5 specimens obtained

one coder is coding as:
31624
31625
31629
31633

one coder is coding as:
31629
31633
31653

which one is correct??

 

[amsmith]

EBUS with needle aspiration?

Have you inquired with the societies regarding the new EBUS codes and 31629 not being billed together? There are several articles from AABIP, CHEST and another all state that we cannot bill them together, but I cannot find anything in our coding tools that say that we cannot.

AABIP February 2016 Volume 2 Issue 1

 

[amsmith]

Coding for above

Assuming we can use the new and old together, I would have coded it as 31629 (Needle aspiration, @ 4R), 31628 (transbronchial bx not needle) 31624 (BAL), 31625 (endobronchial biopsy - not trans or needle) 31654 (Radial EBUS as opposed to Linear EBUS).