tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2008 Issue 11

Reader Questions: Follow Incision Rules on FBRs, or Tick Off Payers

Question: A patient with a tick embedded in his right thigh reports to the ED. The physician performs a standard E/M, then uses a pair of tweezers to pull the tick out. Parts of the tick's mouth, however, are still in the patient's thigh. The physician then makes a small incision and uses an 18-gauge needle to scrape out the remaining parts. Is this a foreign body removal (FBR) or an E/M service? Indiana Subscriber Answer: Both. Provided your documentation is solid, you can code for the FBR and the E/M. Go back and check the documentation to ensure...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert.

Thank you for choosing Find-A-Code, please Sign In to remove ads.