AMA CPT® Assistant - 2016 Issue 11 (November)
Therapy for Incompetent Veins (November 2016)
November 2016 pages 3-4 Therapy for Incompetent Veins The Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) 2016 code set includes a number of CPT codes to report the treatment of venous disease, such as varicose veins and incompetence of truncal veins (eg, great and small saphenous veins), including: direct puncture sclerotherapy with or without local anesthesia (36468, 36470, 36471); stab phlebectomy under local anesthesia (37765, 37766); laser or radiofrequency thermal ablation utilizing tumescent anesthesia (36475, 36476, 36478, 36479); and surgical vein ligation and/or vein stripping under monitored or general anesthesia (37700-37761, 37780-37785). Effective January 1, 2017, two new CPT codes (36473...
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Article Overview
This premium article explains how CPT coding addresses treatment of incompetent veins and related venous disease procedures. It is aimed at coders, auditors, and clinical documentation staff who need to understand the scope of mechanochemical and other endovenous ablation services, how the 2017 additions fit into the CPT family, and what accompanying guidance is discussed for reporting, sequencing, and procedure context. The article also includes examples, procedural descriptions, and glossary terms that support accurate interpretation of the coding topic.
Why This Topic Matters
Venous ablation and related vein procedures are common and coding-sensitive services. This article helps readers identify which CPT concepts and code families are being discussed so they can evaluate whether the full guidance is relevant to their work.
Article Sections
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November 2016 pages 3-4
Introductory article content covering venous disease treatment coding within CPT and the scope of procedures discussed.
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Coding Tips
General reporting guidance related to endovascular ablation therapy services, included items, and related billing considerations.
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Clinical Example and Description of Procedure
Illustrative cases and procedural workflow descriptions showing how the discussed therapy is performed in practice.
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Coding Tip
Additional general guidance addressing how the discussed therapy relates to other vascular procedure categories.
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Glossary
Definitions of terminology used in the article to support understanding of the venous disease and procedure discussion.
What You Will Learn
- The CPT topics and procedure families addressed in the article
- How the article frames newer and existing venous ablation guidance
- What kinds of procedural and documentation details are discussed
- Which related concepts and terminology are defined for readers
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Billing staff
- Clinical documentation improvement staff
- Physician practices and vascular specialty teams
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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