• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

Wiki Visit For Sentinal Lymph Node Study Only

Create Wiki
M

MichelleAKing

Contributor
Messages
17
Location
Reno, NV
Best answers
0
We have a new patient that presents for further evaluation and consideration of sentinel lymph node biopsy. She underwent a partial mastectomy back in December in another town, however, they do not have the technology for a sentinel lymph node biopsy and she has come to us for a sentinel lymph node biopsy. The doc does an E/M encounter for this and is going to proceed with a sentinal lymph node study in the near future. What would the ICD-9 code be for this visit? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
 
Generally when we do this we are checking to make sure the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes and would bill the 174.X. Hope that helps.

Kelsey, CPC
 
Usually the code i use would be the 174.x as a secondary and whatever the reason for wanting the lymph node biopsied as the primay. If the lymph node is enlarged/swollen I would use the 785.6 as the primary and the 174.x as the secondary. You need to know why the patient is having the lymph node biopsied --- by all means if it is just because she has breast cancer than use the 174.x - However - I tend to see that post mas patients that have the lymph node biopsies are presenting with signs and symptoms related to the lymph nodes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top