Radiology

Week of May 13, 2013

Question:

The American Medical Association deleted code 75650 in 2013. How do you code for a diagnostic aortic arch angiogram with an upper extremity angio? No carotid angiography was performed.

Answer:

The correct coding would depend on what was actually done and documented. An arch study would be assigned 36221. If a separate extremity angiogram was also performed, then 75710 could be assigned. Using additional catheterization codes (36215–36217) with 36221 have not been clarified. One possibility would be to code 36221-52, along with 75710 and the appropriate extremity catheterization code (36215–36217). Check with your payer for guidelines.

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