Interventional Radiology Coding
This post is in response to a comment on a previous blog. That particular blog was on peripheral angioplasty and stenting. Jo from Gulphport,MS, wrote in concerning the coding for multiple stenting procedures in the superficial femoral artery (SFA).
The question was, could there be multiple charges with several stents placed in the SFA. It has been a little while since I had to deal with coding, so I am a bit rusty on the topic. It is my belief that since it is all the same vessel only one charge can apply. If there is a reader out there who is more current on the correct procedure, perhaps they can enlighten us.
The topic brings out some interest in a relatively new field of interventional radiology coding. The specialty is Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder ( CIRCC), and will certainly become one of the top specialty earners. Anyone interested should to some research on how to obtain this classification, I am sure you could be worth your weight in gold to any radiology group.
Interventional radiology coding procedures are certainly very complex. The use of complex coding components allows for thousands of combinations making this a formidable task. Individual coding professionals need to have a strong knowledge of vascular and nonvascular procedures. Each of these have rules that are very challenging.
To be correct documentation needs to accurate. If documentation is not adequate by the physician, it is not considered to be reimbursable by Medicare or other insurance companies. There needs to be a chronological order including timing to different aspects of the procedure to determine what acceptable charges are.
This note is just the very tip of the iceberg, please do some research on how to get certified and as I stated earlier become invaluable to your department.