Biopsy Coding

Question:

I work at an ENT clinic and my physician is doing biopsies of the soft palate and I’m not sure if this is coded as 11104 or goes under biopsy vestibule of mouth 40808? Thank you so much for your help with this!

Answer:

If the physician is doing a biopsy of the soft palate you should report 42100 (biopsy of palate, uvula.) This CPT code is reported when the physician performs a biopsy on a lesion of the palate or uvula.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 10/10/22.

Pharyngectomy Code

Question:

Do I use CPT code 42950 when a limited pharyngectomy is done??

Answer:

No, you should report CPT code 42890 when a limited pharyngectomy is performed not CPT 42950 (Pharyngoplasty (plastic or reconstructive operation on pharynx).

*This response is based on the best information available as of 09/27/22.

Secondary Payor Doesn’t Recognize Consultations

Question:

We have a patient with 2 commercial payers (BCBS and Cigna). A consultation code was submitted to BCBS, and they paid according to our contract. However, Cigna is refusing to process the claim since they no longer pay for consult codes. Am I allowed to change the CPT code and rebill Cigna? Or would I need to change the CPT, refile to the primary as a corrected claim, then send the balance on to Cigna?

Answer:

We suggest calling CIGNA and ask how they want this handled according to their policies. WithMedicareyou have two options: (1) bill the appropriate category and level of service documented (e.g., for outpatient consults [99202-99215] or inpatient consults [99221-99223]) or (2) bill the consultation code, which will result in a denial of payment from Medicare and appeal on paper explaining the situation.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 09/08/22.

New vs Established Patient

Question:

I am a contracted physician with a group practice (Practice A) in our town. I have an opportunity to contract with another practice (Practice B) not in the same town, but near enough that my patients could see me in either location. My question has to do with the definition of new and established patients. If I see a patient in Practice A and that patient sees me in Practice B, is the encounter in Practice B a new patient encounter?

Answer:

Thanks for your inquiry and this question is one that is sometimes confusing or where the new practice may not like to hear the answer.

Assuming the patient from Practice A sees you in Practice B within three years of the encounter in Practice A, it is an established patient encounter for you. The same holds true if you first see the patient in Practice B and the patient follows up with you in Practice A within the three -year period.

In the June 1999 edition of CPT Assistant (Q&A included below), the AMA also extended the limitation to partners in practice A, meaning if the patient saw you or a partner in Practice A, and saw you in practice B within a three year period, the patient would be established to you, even in a different group.

Changing Group Practices

What about the physician who leaves one group practice and joins a different group practice elsewhere in the state? Consider Dr A who leaves his group practice in Frankfort, Illinois and joins a new group practice in Rockford, Illinois. When he provides professional services to patients in the Rockford practice, will he report these patients as new or established?

If Dr A, or another physician of the same specialty in the Rockford practice, has not provided any professional services to that patient within the past three years, then Dr A would consider the patient a new patient. However, if Dr A, or another physician of the same specialty in the Rockford practice, has provided any professional service to that patient within the past three years, the patient would then be considered an established patient to Dr A. Remember, the definitions include professional services rendered by other physicians of the same specialty in the same group practice.”

Something else to consider:

The following comment is not related to your inquiry but one to consider. If a patient from Practice A has a surgical procedure with a 90 day global period, KZA recommends all follow-up care be performed in Practice A, as this practice was reimbursed for the surgical procedure. If the patient is instead seen in follow-up in Practice B during the global period, 99024 must be reported and there is no reimbursement to Practice B to offset expenses for that encounter.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 08/25/22.

E/M Visit During the Global Period

Question:

Can I bill an office visit in the global period if the diagnosis is different from why I did the original procedure?

Answer:

Yes, as long as the diagnosis is not for a related issue (e.g., complication from the original procedure). The documentation must be clear that the condition is unrelated to the original procedure and reflect a clear plan of treatment for the new/unrelated issue. You will then append modifier 24 (unrelated E/M in a global period) to the E/M code.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 08/11/22.

2021 Evaluation and Management Codes: Is a History Required?

Question:

My coder just told me about the new guidelines for 2021 office visit codes. She said I no longer have to document a History. This doesn’t seem right to me.

Answer:

You are wise to ask because that’s not exactly true. It is correct that the History will no longer be used to select a new patient (9920x) or established patient (9921x) visit code. However, it is expected that you will document a “medically appropriate” (per CPT™ history for each encounter.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 07/28/22.