RE: [Histonet] FNA code
Mary, I'd have to disagree. 88173 has both a technical and professional component. This is well documented in a resource your dept might find very beneficial entitled "Pathology Service Coding Handbook" which is authored by Dennis Padgett, a noted coding authority. It is customary to have a cytotechnologist screen FNA smears or Thin Prep slides prior to the slides going to sign out with the pathologist. And of course the hospital incurs supply expenses as well as labor expense associated with the preparation of the specimen(s) that will be interpreted The rule of thumb is as follows: 88173 should be dropped for every Fine Needle Aspirate. This represents all of the work in the laboratory (including prep and staining) that leads to the interpretation both technical and professional 88172 is dropped only if the procedure is attended by a pathologist or cytotechnologist to render an adequacy during the procedure. This presumes that the aspirate is not being performed by the pathologist but another clinician, radiologist, etc. It is appropriate to drop additional codes to 88173, such as codes for cell block (88305), special stains (88312;88313), IHC (88342) or thin layer preparation of the aspirate (88112 ) however it may interest you to know that, according to Padgett, Medicare will never pay 88112 when it is added onto 88173. so for example, if you do direct smears and thin prep on an FNA specimen, Medicare will still only pay for 88173. Other payors may vary and for simplicity it may be simpler for labs to drop 88112 whenever thin prep is done on a FNA specimen without regard to payor however you ought to consult with your institution's legal or compliance officer. I highly recommend the reference I mentioned above. You wouldn't believe the complexity of the interpretations for these codes and Padgett points out instances where CAP's interpretation disagrees with AMA's. Padgett devotes 21 pages of discussion on FNA coding Vinnie Della Speranza Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services 165 Ashley Avenue Suite 309 Charleston, SC 29425 tel. 843-792-6353 fax. 843-792-8974 -Original Message- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Mary McCoy Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2009 10:23 AM To: dkb...@chs.net; histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Carolyn Demarinis Cc: histo...@pathology.swmed.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] FNA code There is no Technical component to 88173, so how do you charge for the technical preparation of the ThinPrep? Mary McCoy HTL(ASCP) Supervisor of Pathology Services Lakeland Regional Health System St. Joseph MI 49098 (269) 982-4891 mmc...@lakelandregional.org >>> 12/30/2009 9:42 AM >>> 88173 Debbie M. Boyd, HT(ASCP) l Chief Histologist l Southside Regional Medical Center I 200 Medical Park Boulevard l Petersburg, Va. 23805 l T: 804-765-5050 l F: 804-765-5582 l dkb...@chs.net "Demarinis, Carolyn" Sent by: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu 12/30/2009 08:18 AM To cc Subject [Histonet] FNA code Which CPT code are labs using for fine needle aspirations that are processed using thinprep technique - FNA interpretation and report-88173 or thinprep non-gyn 88112? Thank you. This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify Saratoga Hospital immediately by e-mail at priv...@saratogacare.org and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -- Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain information that is Proprietary, Confidential, or legally privileged or protected. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) and entity named in the message. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. Do not deliver, distribute or copy this message and do not disclose its contents or take any action in reliance on the information it contains. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _
Re: [Histonet] FNA code
There is no Technical component to 88173, so how do you charge for the technical preparation of the ThinPrep? Mary McCoy HTL(ASCP) Supervisor of Pathology Services Lakeland Regional Health System St. Joseph MI 49098 (269) 982-4891 mmc...@lakelandregional.org >>> 12/30/2009 9:42 AM >>> 88173 Debbie M. Boyd, HT(ASCP) l Chief Histologist l Southside Regional Medical Center I 200 Medical Park Boulevard l Petersburg, Va. 23805 l T: 804-765-5050 l F: 804-765-5582 l dkb...@chs.net "Demarinis, Carolyn" Sent by: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu 12/30/2009 08:18 AM To cc Subject [Histonet] FNA code Which CPT code are labs using for fine needle aspirations that are processed using thinprep technique - FNA interpretation and report-88173 or thinprep non-gyn 88112? Thank you. This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify Saratoga Hospital immediately by e-mail at priv...@saratogacare.org and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -- Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain information that is Proprietary, Confidential, or legally privileged or protected. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) and entity named in the message. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. Do not deliver, distribute or copy this message and do not disclose its contents or take any action in reliance on the information it contains. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 X-GWTYPE:USER FN:McCoy, Mary TEL;WORK:982-4891 ORG:;Lab TEL;PREF;FAX:98-8258 EMAIL;WORK;PREF;NGW:mmc...@lakelandregional.org N:McCoy;Mary TITLE:Coordinator Pathology END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 X-GWTYPE:USER FN:McCoy, Mary TEL;WORK;PREF:982-4891 ORG:;Lab TEL;PREF;FAX:98-8258 EMAIL;WORK;PREF;NGW:mmc...@lakelandregional.org N:McCoy;Mary TITLE:Coordinator Pathology END:VCARD ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
Re: [Histonet] FNA code
88173 Debbie M. Boyd, HT(ASCP) l Chief Histologist l Southside Regional Medical Center I 200 Medical Park Boulevard l Petersburg, Va. 23805 l T: 804-765-5050 l F: 804-765-5582 l dkb...@chs.net "Demarinis, Carolyn" Sent by: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu 12/30/2009 08:18 AM To cc Subject [Histonet] FNA code Which CPT code are labs using for fine needle aspirations that are processed using thinprep technique - FNA interpretation and report-88173 or thinprep non-gyn 88112? Thank you. This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify Saratoga Hospital immediately by e-mail at priv...@saratogacare.org and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet -- Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain information that is Proprietary, Confidential, or legally privileged or protected. It is intended only for the use of the individual(s) and entity named in the message. If you are not an intended recipient of this message, please notify the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer. Do not deliver, distribute or copy this message and do not disclose its contents or take any action in reliance on the information it contains. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
[Histonet] FNA code
Which CPT code are labs using for fine needle aspirations that are processed using thinprep technique - FNA interpretation and report-88173 or thinprep non-gyn 88112? Thank you. This e-mail communication and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information for the use of the designated recipients named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, disclosure, dissemination, distribution or copying of it or its contents is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify Saratoga Hospital immediately by e-mail at priv...@saratogacare.org and destroy all copies of this communication and any attachments. ___ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
