Wiki Slides for Dermatology Clinic

[VickiS]

I work as a coder for a pathology lab and a local dermatologists sends us the tissue to prepare slides for only, what is the correct way to bill the TC for this and what needs to be documented...the dermatologist bills 88305-26, can we bill 88305-TC for preparing slides?

 

[bbooks]

That is how our pathology office does that.

 

[VickiS]

Thank you so very much.

 

[danachock]

Coding for Dermatology Clinic

Please don't forget that if you apply a stain that you can be reimbursed for the TC portion of it for applying it. The pathologist that interprets it will be able to gain the professional fee for that and also an H&E stain is not billable.

 

[heatherhathaway9]

Staining of slides

Please don't forget that if you apply a stain that you can be reimbursed for the TC portion of it for applying it. The pathologist that interprets it will be able to gain the professional fee for that and also an H&E stain is not billable.

What are the codes for staining?

 

[CatchTheWind]

The code for stains is 88312.

 

[CatchTheWind]

If your office prepares the slides to send to an outside pathologist, does your diagnosis for the technical component have to be based on the path report, or can you use the biopsy diagnosis (ie: neoplasm of unspecified behavior)?

 

[bbooks]

The code for stains is 88312.

Not all stains are 88312. You need to know which stains were done and apply the correct code.

 

[bbooks]

If your office prepares the slides to send to an outside pathologist, does your diagnosis for the technical component have to be based on the path report, or can you use the biopsy diagnosis (ie: neoplasm of unspecified behavior)?

If your office is performing only the technical component, you can use the clinical information or diagnosis given by the provider.