tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2009 Issue 10

You Be the Coder : Lap Ventral Incisional Hernia Repair

Question: When a patient undergoes a laparoscopic ventral incisional hernia repair, would the coder use the 49552-49553 (ventral) or 49654-49657 (incisional) codes? Coders were not faced with this decision previously because incisional and ventral were under the same open codes. Florida Subscriber Answer: You should use the appropriate incisional hernia repair code (49654-49655, Laparoscopy,surgical, repair, incisional hernia [includes mesh insertion, when performed] ... ; or 49656-49657,Laparoscopy, surgical, repair, recurrent incisional hernia [includes mesh insertion, when performed] ...). Here's why: The incisional hernia repair codes include the reimbursement and work associated with an incisional defect with expected adhesions, scarring, and...

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