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tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2021 Issue Q3

Reader Questions: Halt Modifier 63 With Infant Cutdown

Question: Our surgeon attempted percutaneous venipuncture for a 2 months old infant weighing 7.8 pound, but was unable to obtain access to the femoral vein, so proceeded to a cutdown. Can we bill both the venipuncture and the cutdown, and should we use modifier 63? Washington Subscriber Answer: You should code this case as 36420 (Venipuncture, cutdown; younger than age 1 year). The code describes a procedure where the provider makes an open incision to obtain access to a vein, usually because the patient is so young that the physician cannot obtain intravenous access with a percutaneous stick...

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