tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2001 Issue 3

Reader Question: Number of Incisions Key to Hernia Billing

Question: If a surgeon performs a laparoscopic recurrent right inguinal hernia repair, right femoral hernia repair and a laparoscopic left inguinal hernia repair, can the three procedures be billed separately? New Mexico SubscriberAnswer: Laparoscopic hernia repairs performed on both sides are separately payable, but modifiers -LT (left side) and -RT (right side) must be attached to the appropriate hernia repair code, says Kathleen Mueller, RN, CPC, CCS-P, an independent general surgery coding and reimbursement specialist in Lenzburg, Ill. In this case, the recurrent right inguinal hernia would be billed 49651-RT (laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia-right side) and the...

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