December 2008 page 7
Surgery: Cardiovascular, 36000 (Q&A)
Question: If blood is drawn from a vein using a butterfly
catheter (for purposes of obtaining a laboratory specimen),
would it be appropriate to report code 36415 or code 36000?
Roger Hettinger, Sioux Falls, SD
Answer: Code 36415, Collection of venous blood by
venipuncture, should be reported because it describes
venipuncture to obtain a blood specimen using either a
butterfly or another type of blood collection apparatus.
It would not be appropriate to report code 36000,
Introduction of needle or intracatheter, vein, because
code 36000 involves not only placement of...
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Note: The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.
Article Overview
This short Q&A article explains a coding question from CPT Assistant focused on cardiovascular surgery billing and specimen collection. It is useful for coders, billers, and compliance staff who need to understand how the article frames venipuncture-related services, related procedure reporting, and the surrounding CPT code sets discussed in the guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
It helps readers identify whether the article addresses specimen collection, venous access, and related laboratory reporting in a way that may affect CPT code selection and claim reporting practices.
What You Will Learn
How the article frames a venipuncture-related coding question
How the discussion relates specimen collection to broader laboratory reporting
What code-set areas are mentioned in the guidance
How the article situates the topic within a cardiovascular surgery Q&A format
Who Should Read This
Medical coders
Coding auditors
Billing specialists
Compliance professionals
Physician practice managers
Codes Discussed
CPT: 36415
CPT: 36000
Code Ranges Discussed
CPT: 36400-36410
CPT: 80000 series
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