tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2004 Issue 9

Reader Question: GI Bleed Can Mean a 2-Code Colonoscopy Claim

Question: Our surgeon performed a colonoscopy, during which he removed a polyp using the snare technique in the transverse colon. He also used bipolar cautery to stop gastrointestinal bleeding. How should I code for this scenario? Missouri SubscriberAnswer: As long as your documentation proves two separate sites, this is a two-code claim -- but make sure you remember your ICD-9 codes. You should: Report 45382 (Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic flexure; with control of bleeding [e.g., injection, bipolar cautery, unipolar cautery, laser, heater probe, stapler, plasma coagulator]) with the proper ICD-9 code to reflect the site that was...

To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci General Surgery Coding Alert.


Leverage vital, to-the-point monthly guidance to boost your reporting accuracy and your coding know-how. We make it convenient for your team to stay informed, compliant, and profitable with a subscription to TCI’s General Surgery Coding Alert.

  • Current newsletters added each month
  • Fully searchable archives - over 2100 articles
  • ALL years/issues back to 1999 organized by year and issue
  • Codes mentioned in articles are linked to Code Information pages
  • Code Information pages link back to related articles
Access to this feature is available in the following products:
  • tci General Surgery Coding Alert +Archives

demo
request yours today
 subscribe
start today
 newsletter
free subscription

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