tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2017 Issue 9
You Be the Coder: Code This Lap Chole and Hernia Repair Case
Question: Our surgeon performed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a 32-year-old male patient. During closure, the surgeon documented repairing an existing incisional hernia. How should we code the case? Georgia Subscriber Answer: The correct coding for this procedure is 47562 (Laparoscopy, surgical; cholecystectomy). You should not separately report the incisional hernia repair using a code such as 49654 (Laparoscopy, surgical, repair, incisional hernia [includes mesh insertion, when performed]; reducible). Here's why: CPT® guidelines state that you must bundle the repair of an incisional hernia during closure of a different abdominal surgery. On the other hand, if the hernia repair is...
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