Wiki suture removal w/opthalmological exam

Create Wiki
M

MKCOLANTUNO

Guest
Messages
10
Best answers
0
two months new to opthalmology coding. question; patient outside global post op presents for est opth exam (92012) and oct. doctor also performs suture removal of undissolved sutures. we can bill an e/m with 25 modifier--icd-9; v58.32; correct? (documentation supporting)
 
Are you billing the patient or the insurance with that V code?
Suture removal is not separately billable. It's just thrown into the exam code.
 
No matter how much time has past? What if the surgery was four or five years ago? Is there a time frame or can you never bill for the FB removal?
 
vpcats said:
It's not a FB. Someone put that suture there. Bill the removal as part of the exam.
Click to expand...

Most payers (including CMS) consider suture removal bundled into the office visit or part of the global surgical fee; the only exception is when the suture is removed under general anesthesia -- 15850 (removal of sutures under anesthesia [other than local], same surgeon) or 15851 (removal of sutures under anesthesia [other than local], other surgeon). Check the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) site for more regarding this issue.

The foreign body removal codes (65205 - 65265) are for when an object enters the eye accidentally.

David E. Keown, CPC, OCS
 
I do not bill for ophthamology but for urgent cares and i know even if past the global period you can not bill for suture removal, if it was placed at your facility even if it is a different doc that removes it. It sounds like the pt had a exam of the eyes is this correct? So you would first code this the eye problem or exam, second the v-code for the suture removal and bill at the level of service for the eye exam only. If there was nothing else other than sut rem then the sercumstances i listed above are implied.
 
Icd10 training for opthamology

Does anyone know of specific training available ie: Dvd webinar or classes for icd10 training in opthamology.

Thank you fellow coders
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top