Pericardiocentesis and Pericardial Drainage Changes for 2020 (January 2020)

Why This Topic Matters

Pericardial drainage procedures changed significantly in CPT 2020, so accurate identification of the updated code family and related guidance matters for compliant reporting and consistent claims processing.

Article Sections

1. January 2020 pages 7-9

   Introduces the article’s placement in the publication and the general topic of pericardial procedure coding changes for 2020.

2. Pericardium

   Presents the updated CPT pericardium code family and associated reporting notes for the revised service structure.

3. Guidelines

   Summarizes the general reporting framework for the revised pericardial procedure codes and related catheter documentation concepts.

4. Pericardiocentesis and Pericardial Drainage

   Provides background on how the older pericardial procedure structure was revised for 2020 and why the new code family was introduced.

5. Table 1. Quick Reference Guide

   Shows a concise comparison of the new pericardial procedure codes and their broad reporting categories.

6. Coding Tip

   Offers a brief summary note about when certain echocardiography services may be considered alongside the revised pericardial procedure codes.

7. Clinical Example (33016)

   Presents an example scenario and procedural narrative illustrating a pericardiocentesis service under the revised coding structure.

8. Description of Procedure (33016)

   Describes a typical procedural workflow and imaging-supported workflow for the example tied to the revised pericardiocentesis code.

9. Clinical Example (33017)

   Presents an example scenario and procedural narrative for a percutaneous pericardial drainage service under the revised coding structure.

10. Description of Procedure (33017)

    Describes a typical procedural workflow and imaging-supported workflow for the example tied to one of the revised drainage codes.

11. Clinical Example (33018)

    Presents an example scenario and procedural narrative for a pediatric or congenital-anomaly-related drainage service under the revised coding structure.

12. Description of Procedure (33018)

    Describes a typical procedural workflow and imaging-supported workflow for the example tied to the pediatric or congenital-anomaly-related drainage code.

13. Clinical Example (33019)

    Presents an example scenario and procedural narrative for a CT-guided pericardial drainage service under the revised coding structure.

14. Description of Procedure (33019)

    Describes a typical CT-guided procedural workflow and imaging review process for the example tied to the CT-specific drainage code.