tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2010 Issue 16

READER QUESTIONS : Beware Thoracoscopic Bundling Rules

Question: Our surgeon performed a VATS wedge resection biopsy and sent it to pathology, which came back during surgery as carcinoma. That's when the surgeon made the decision to proceed with a thoracoscopic segmentectomy. Can I bill for both the biopsy and the segmental resection? Connecticut Subscriber Answer: Yes, you should bill for both surgical thoracoscopy procedures in this case. The correct code forthe video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) wedge resection is 32657 (Thoracoscopy, surgical; with wedge resection of lung, single or multiple). You should code the thoracoscopic segmentectomy as 32663 (... with lobectomy, total or segmental). The Correct Coding...

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