tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2011 Issue 7

You Be the Coder: Decide if Diagnostic Laparoscopy Stands Alone

Question: Sometimes for patients who have had prior abdominal surgeries, our surgeon will perform a diagnostic laparoscopy before inserting a peritoneal dialysis catheter to ensure adequate space for an effective peritoneal dialysis treatment. Can we bill the diagnostic lap in addition to the code for the catheter insertion?Pennsylvania SubscriberAnswer: You should not separately code a diagnostic laparoscopy immediately preceding the procedure to insert a peritoneal dialysis catheter. Whether the catheter insertion is laparoscopic or open, you'll have to bundle the diagnostic laparoscopy.Lap catheter insertion: You must always bundle diagnostic orexploratory laparoscopies into codes for surgical laparoscopy. That...

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