Gastroenterology Coding Update: Ensure Tube Changes Claim Success

By Author: Angela Martin
Total Articles: 205
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When your gastroenterologist deals with any of the various types of gastrointestinal (GI) tubes, you should examine how he carried out the proceudre to the patient to determine the right CPT codes.

Gastrointestinal procedures contain three main types which are initial tube placement, tube placement, and tube maintenance. Each provides a unique set of guidance that calls for a different coding approach. Follow it to a T, and you will always be safe. Here's what our experts have to say.

Choose proper ‘initial' gastrointestinal tube placement code

If your gastroenterologist carried out an initial, percutaneous insertion of a gastrostomy tube, without using an endoscope and including radiologic supervision and interpretation, report 49440.

In this procedure, the gastroenterologist creates a puncture through the patient's abdominal wall from outside the body, and inserts a device under fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance. This allows the doctor to pull the stomach up to the abdominal wall and then insert the tube percutaneously without ...
... using an endoscope.

Flashback: Earlier, you would report this procedure using 43750. However in 2008, CPT deleted this code. Its replacement 49440 covers all of the components to place the tube, including the associated imaging procedures.

Watch your ‘maintenance' procedures

For maintenance services, you should familiarize yourself with another set of codes which includes 49460 and 49465.

Remember that codes 49440-49442, 49450-49452, 49460, and 49465 all include fluoroscopic guidance.

For more gastroenterology coding update, sign up for an audio conference. When you sign up for one, you'll have access to all gastroenterology coding update under one roof. The best part of attending such an audio conference is that you can listen to it from the comforts of your own office. Even if you miss out on a scheduled gastroenterology coding conference, you can always fall back on CDs and MP3s to take you through the entire event. You even stand to acquire CEUs on attending one.