decisionhealth Newsletters, Coder Pink Sheets - 2009 Issue 1 (January)
Purpose, number of specimens determine FOBT coding
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Article Overview
This article reviews how fecal occult blood test reporting is affected by the purpose of the test and the number of specimens collected. It is aimed at coders and billing staff who handle colorectal cancer screening and gastrointestinal diagnostic testing, and it summarizes guidance referenced from CPT Assistant and published literature on specimen collection practices.
Why This Topic Matters
Correct reporting depends on understanding whether the test is being performed for screening or diagnostic evaluation and how specimen collection was completed. The article helps readers distinguish situations that may be separately reportable from those that are not.
Article Sections
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Two key questions
Introduces the main considerations used to evaluate fecal occult blood test reporting and frames the article around purpose and specimen collection.
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Case studies
Presents clinical scenarios involving symptomatic and screening situations to illustrate how the topic is applied in practice.
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Source guidance and supporting literature
Refers to external coding guidance and a published study relevant to the discussion of screening methods.
What You Will Learn
- How fecal occult blood test reporting is discussed in relation to screening and diagnostic contexts
- Why the number of specimens collected matters for this topic
- What kinds of external guidance and literature are cited in the article
- How the article frames common stool specimen collection scenarios for coding review
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing staff
- Compliance personnel
- Practice managers
- Gastroenterology staff
Codes Discussed
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