Wiki Robotic assisted open and scope surgical procedures

[Lisa Bledsoe]

One of my Urology docs is starting to do robotic assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection and creation of an ileal conduit urinary diversions (as co-surgeons with another urologist). Since there is no laparoscopic code for all of this, would you code 51999 for the robotic laparoscopic cystectomy (but the ileal conduit was open) and 55866 for the prostatectomy? OR would it be more appropriate to code 51590 and 55866?

The first case he did we submitted 51590-62 and 55866-51-62 to Medicare with op notes and it was paid appropriately. However, someone else has suggested the unlisted code in place of the open code (even though part of the procedure is open and part is laparoscopic).

This is giving me a headache! Please help!

 

[Kelly_Mayumi]

One of my Urology docs is starting to do robotic assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection and creation of an ileal conduit urinary diversions (as co-surgeons with another urologist). Since there is no laparoscopic code for all of this, would you code 51999 for the robotic laparoscopic cystectomy (but the ileal conduit was open) and 55866 for the prostatectomy? OR would it be more appropriate to code 51590 and 55866?

The first case he did we submitted 51590-62 and 55866-51-62 to Medicare with op notes and it was paid appropriately. However, someone else has suggested the unlisted code in place of the open code (even though part of the procedure is open and part is laparoscopic).

This is giving me a headache! Please help!

Are the nodes being taken laparoscopically? I typically use 51999 and compare it to 51575, 55866 and 50820.