The importance of accurate and complete coding cannot be overemphasized for any area of radiology, but the complexity of interventional radiology (IR) coding makes it even more critical for optimal reimbursement. The prerequisite for complete coding is thorough documentation that includes all of the required elements, along with a coding team that is highly trained in IR.
Categories: radiology documentation, interventional radiology, IR coding, interventional radiology billing
The annual update to the Current Procedural Terminology[1] (CPT)® for 2024 has 230 new codes, 70 revised codes, and 49 deleted codes. In addition, there are 395 new diagnosis codes contained in the ICD-10-CM[2] update, about one-third of them describing new ways to capture accidents and injuries. Although relatively few of these changes will impact radiology practices, it’s essential to know what they are and adjust your practice systems accordingly.
Categories: radiology coding, icd-10, interventional radiology, IR coding, CPT codes, diagnostic radiology
Click here to read our 2024 code changes update article.
While only a few of the 225 new codes, 93 revised codes, and 75 deleted codes in Current Procedural Terminology[i] (CPT)® for 2023 will impact radiology practices, it’s essential to know what they are and adjust your practice systems accordingly.
Categories: radiology coding, interventional radiology, IR coding, CPT codes, diagnostic radiology, evaluation and management
Arterial catheter embolization is an interventional radiology procedure that requires detailed documentation of the steps performed by the physician to maximize coding and reimbursement. The procedure places medications, embolic agents, or a radiopharmaceutical into a blood vessel to prevent abnormal bleeding, close off vessels, eliminate abnormal connections between arteries and veins, or to treat aneurysms or tumors. Common embolization procedures include the treatment of uterine fibroids or the destruction of liver tumors using y-90 radioembolization.
Categories: radiology documentation, interventional radiology, IR coding
Click here to read our 2024 code changes update article.
There are 249 new codes in Current Procedural Terminology[i] (CPT)® that are now in effect for 2022, plus 93 revised codes and 63 deleted codes. However, of all those changes relatively few will impact radiology practices.
Categories: radiology coding, IR coding, CPT codes, radiology
A radiology practice that includes interventional procedures has to be up to date on the use of documentation and coding techniques for Evaluation and Management (E&M) services. Since these CPT®[i] codes in the 99xxx range are less commonly utilized in many radiology practices, identifying circumstances where E&M services are billable, and then properly documenting and coding for them, will require a collaborative effort between interventional radiologists (IR) and their coding team.
Categories: interventional radiology, IR coding, interventional radiology billing, E&M, evaluation and management
Click here to read our 2024 code changes update article.
The big news in Current Procedural Terminology[i] (CPT)® revisions for 2021 is the overhaul of the Evaluation and Management (E&M) section, reducing documentation requirements, and introducing new rules for determining the level of coding. These changes will affect interventional radiologists and radiation oncologists more than they will the day-to-day work of diagnostic radiologists. First, we will review the other non-E&M code changes affecting diagnostic and interventional radiology for 2021.
Categories: radiology coding, interventional radiology, IR coding, CPT codes, radiology, diagnostic radiology
Click here to read our 2024 code changes update article.
With the new year comes the annual revision of Current Procedural Terminology[i] (CPT)® coding that practices have to be aware of. For diagnostic radiology, the changes for 2020 are relatively few and they are concentrated in the areas of abdominal and gastrointestinal plain films, nuclear medicine procedures for tumor localization, and myocardial PET imaging. The changes to interventional radiology coding are likewise quite limited and involve pericardial and spinal puncture procedures.
Categories: radiology coding, IR coding, CPT codes
Click here to read our 2024 code changes update article.
The annual cycle of revising codes in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)® has been completed with the issuance of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule for 2017. For diagnostic radiology, the changes this year are in mammography bundling, ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm, and fluoroscopic guidance. Interventional Radiology (IR) will also be subject to bundling and other rearranging of codes for certain procedures. Finally, there are new codes that have been created to describe procedures previously unlisted, which generally will improve reimbursement for those procedures, and codes deleted from use, which will return the affected procedures to the ‘unlisted’ category.
Categories: radiology reimbursement, radiology coding, interventional radiology, IR coding, CPT codes
