Surgery: Respiratory System (Q&A) (January 2015)

January 2015 page 13a Surgery: Respiratory System Question: Would it be appropriate to report code 31237, Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with biopsy, polypectomy or debridement (separate procedure), with modifier 50 appended, when this procedure is performed on both sides? Answer: Yes. Code 31237 is a unilateral code. Modifier 50 should be appended when the procedure is performed bilaterally (see page 167 of the CPT 2015 Professional codebook). Although there are separate entry "holes" technically, it is still part of the nose and there is no separate incision or additional equipment required for the second surgical site (ie, the nostril). This...

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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 article is a short CPT Assistant question-and-answer item from the respiratory system surgery section. It discusses how the source frames bilateral reporting for a nasal and sinus endoscopic procedure and notes that payer policies may differ from CPT guidance. It is intended for coders and billing professionals looking for guidance on respiratory system surgical reporting.

Why This Topic Matters

It helps readers determine whether the article is relevant when they need respiratory system surgery coding guidance, especially for laterality-related reporting questions in CPT. It also signals that the discussion is limited to a focused Q&A rather than a broad coding update or policy article.

Article Sections

  1. Question

    Presents the coding scenario addressed in the Q&A within the respiratory system surgery section.

  2. Answer

    Summarizes the article’s discussion of bilateral reporting guidance and notes the role of payer-specific policies.

What You Will Learn

  • The article’s focus within respiratory system surgery coding
  • How the Q&A format addresses a laterality-related reporting question
  • That the discussion references CPT guidance and payer policy considerations
  • That the article is centered on a specific endoscopic nasal and sinus procedure scenario

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Billing staff
  • Revenue cycle professionals
  • Compliance personnel

Codes Discussed

Modifiers Discussed


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