Wiki TEP exchange

[Maricela123@gmail.com]

Good morning, I have a question about a TEP exchange in the office by the provider. I am lookign at CPT 31611 per descritpion, construction of teacheoesophageal fistula and subsequent insertion of an alaryngeal speech prothessi (eg, voice button, Blom Singer prothesis). I am leaning towards this code, however, provider provided cpt 31899- Unlisted procedure, trachea, bronchi. Would someone please guide me to code the correct code. Thank you.

 

[MChase928]

From a 2019 article from AAPC, there was this statement: “Although it may seem appropriate to code the replacement of the prosthesis as 31611 with modifier 52, there is a concern that the placement of the prosthesis is a very small component of the total CPT® code 31611, while the creation of the tracheoesophageal fistula involves the more significant portion of the CPT® code,” explains Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, COC, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCO, AAPC Fellow, of CRN Healthcare in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. “Based on this division, it is hard to justify applying modifier 52 to 31611 for the replacement of the prosthesis. Therefore, you should code the change of a voice prosthesis using the unlisted code 31899 (Unlisted procedure, trachea, bronchi).

Here's a link to the full article: Tackle This Tracheoesophageal Speech Prosthesis Op Report Head-On : Case Studies

 

[Maricela123@gmail.com]

From a 2019 article from AAPC, there was this statement: “Although it may seem appropriate to code the replacement of the prosthesis as 31611 with modifier 52, there is a concern that the placement of the prosthesis is a very small component of the total CPT® code 31611, while the creation of the tracheoesophageal fistula involves the more significant portion of the CPT® code,” explains Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, COC, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCO, AAPC Fellow, of CRN Healthcare in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. “Based on this division, it is hard to justify applying modifier 52 to 31611 for the replacement of the prosthesis. Therefore, you should code the change of a voice prosthesis using the unlisted code 31899 (Unlisted procedure, trachea, bronchi).

Here's a link to the full article: Tackle This Tracheoesophageal Speech Prosthesis Op Report Head-On : Case Studies

Thank you for your help.