The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has published two new coding sheets in order to assist practices in understanding and implementing GI-specific coding.
As ASGE notes, the purpose of the coding sheet is to “provide a high level overview to support practices as they prepare for 2016.”
Coding sheets are available for:
- Colonoscopy (CPT codes 45378-45398, G0105, G0121). Colonoscopy is a procedure in which a trained specialist uses a long, flexible, narrow tube with a light and tiny camera on one end, called a colonoscope or scope, to look inside your rectum and colon. Colonoscopy can show irritated and swollen tissue, ulcers, polyps, and cancer.
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (CPT codes 43260-43278). ERCP is a procedure that combines upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and x rays to treat problems of the bile and pancreatic ducts. ERCP is also used to diagnose problems, but the availability of non-invasive tests such as magnetic resonance cholangiography has allowed ERCP to be used primarily for cases in which it is expected that treatment will be delivered during the procedure
Each coding sheet explains the procedure, provides an image of it, and then provides the associated CPT code descriptions.
Practices should use these coding sheets to determine the proper CPT code for these procedures.
The mission of ASGE, founded, in 1941, is to advance patient care and digestive health by promoting excellence and innovation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. ASGE, with more than 14,000 members worldwide, promotes the highest standards for endoscopic training and practice, fosters endoscopic research, recognizes distinguished contributions to endoscopy, and is the foremost resource for endoscopic education.
For more assistance with determining the proper CPT, ICD-10 and HCPCS codes, visit the website of PGM Billing, a leading physicians billing service. There you will find many valuable Practice Management Tools, including ones for ICD-10 conversion, looking up HCPCS codes and a CPT codes search app.