Ventricular Assist Devices - Insertion, Removal, Replacement (April 2010)

April 2010 pages 6-8 Ventricular Assist Devices - Insertion, Removal, Replacement Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that interferes with the heart’s ability to pump blood with sufficient force, may be caused by inherited disease, viral infections (myocarditis), excessive alcohol consumption, nutritional deficiencies, smoking and obesity, and/or advanced coronary artery disease.  Ischemic cardiomyopathy is caused by coronary artery disease and myocardial infarctions, in which a lack of blood supply has damaged the heart muscle.  Nonischemic cardiomyopathy types (such as dilated or congestive) describe a weakness in the walls of the heart caused by several 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 article explains coding considerations for ventricular assist device services, with emphasis on procedure categories, device types, postoperative follow-up, and related reporting issues. It is relevant to cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, anesthesia, and coding professionals who work with cardiac assist-device services and need to understand the scope of the guidance discussed in the article.

Why This Topic Matters

Ventricular assist device cases can involve multiple procedure types, device configurations, and follow-up services, making accurate code selection and claim reporting important for documentation and reimbursement. The article helps readers identify the general areas of guidance addressed in the premium content without reproducing the full coding discussion.

Article Sections

  1. Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD)

    Introduces ventricular assist devices, their broad clinical role, and the types of heart conditions that may lead to their use. It also distinguishes major device categories and the general treatment context for these services.

  2. Review of Insertion and Removal Codes (33975-33980)

    Summarizes the procedure families discussed in the article for initial insertion and removal services. The section provides a framework for the code groupings and related device configurations addressed in the coding guidance.

  3. Replacement of VAD [Pump only] (CPT Codes 33981-33983)

    Covers the replacement-service topics associated with pump-only procedures and how they fit into the overall article structure. It also discusses the broader clinical and procedural context for replacement cases.

  4. VAD Programming and Interrogation (CPT Code 93750)

    Addresses follow-up services involving device interrogation and programming, along with the surrounding outpatient monitoring context. The section explains how these services are discussed relative to ongoing patient care.

What You Will Learn

  • The general clinical background for ventricular assist devices
  • How the article organizes insertion, removal, replacement, and follow-up topics
  • The procedural categories and device configurations discussed in the coding guidance
  • The types of postoperative and outpatient monitoring issues covered in the article
  • Which coding-related topics are addressed for VAD care across the course of treatment

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Billing specialists
  • Cardiothoracic surgery staff
  • Cardiology staff
  • Anesthesia professionals
  • Revenue cycle teams

Codes Discussed

  • CPT: 33960
  • CPT: 33961
  • CPT: 33975
  • CPT: 33976
  • CPT: 33977
  • CPT: 33978
  • CPT: 33979
  • CPT: 33980
  • CPT: 33981
  • CPT: 33982
  • CPT: 33983
  • CPT: 33999
  • CPT: 93750
  • CPT: 93318
  • Category III: 0048T
  • Category III: 0050T

Code Ranges Discussed

  • CPT: 33975-33980
  • CPT: 33981-33983

Modifiers Discussed

  • CPT: 22

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