tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2010 Issue 1

READER QUESTIONS : Interpret Detailed Note for Central Line Code

Question: What code should we bill when we remove a central venous pressure (CVP) line and insert a Hickman catheter at a different site? New York Subscriber Answer: You can't determine the proper code based on type of catheter (such as CVP line or Hickman). Selecting the proper code depends on the patient's age, whether the surgeon places the catheter centrally or peripherally, where the catheter tip is at the end of placement, and whether the catheter is tunneled or non-tunneled. Surgeons typically place Hickman catheters as central lines, and they usually place them centrally, although they can be...

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