Question:
Darlene:
Here is a question from the Carol Buck practice exam and I got it wrong. 70-year-old male brought to the operating room for a biopsy of the pancreas. A wedge biopsy is taken and sent to pathology. The report comes back immediately indicating that primary malignant cells were present in the specimen. The decision was made to perform a total pancreatectomy. Code the operative procedure(s) and diagnosis only. Here are the choices A( 48100, 197.8 B) 48155, 157.8 C) 48155, 48100-51, 157.9, and D) 48155, 48100-51, 88308, 157.9. I chose B and it shows the answer as being C. I thought that biopsies were included in the total operative procedure, so why would it be added to this procedure code?
After posting this question on a forum I saw the rationale and it states that "Remember, on the certification exam third-party payer guidelines are NOT followed, so the biopsy is reported separately. I thought that biopsies were included in the greater procedure. Can someone please clarify this for me, I sit for my exam on December 8th and I do not want to get tripped up on something like this.
Answer Thread:
Laureen:
A) 48100, 197.8
B) 48155, 157.8
C) 48155, 48100-51, 157.9, and
D) 48155, 48100-51, 88308, 157.9
48100 - Biopsy of pancreas, open (eg, fine needle aspiration, needle core biopsy, wedge biopsy)
48155 - Pancreatectomy, total
Video Answer:
If you're interested in Findacode click this link
https://www.cco.us/findacode
Darlene:
Thank you so much for your quick response! I am sitting for my CPC in two weeks and as a matter of fact I have a telephone conversation with you tomorrow
I don't know why I had thought that they were bundled into the operative codes. So, if there isn't a code that includes a biopsy, then I can code for the biopsy separately. I just want to make sure of this in case there are any questions like this on the exam and I will make a note in my book so that I don't forget You are such a lifesaver!
Laureen:
Hi Darlene,
They are not going to try to be that tricky. Things like the approach are bundled into the procedure - so you should know a laparotomy is bundled into an ovary removal for example. But things that would require CCI lookup will NOT be on the exam.
They are testing you on a general coding principles.
Remember don't over think things!
Darlene:
Here is a question from the Carol Buck practice exam and I got it wrong. 70-year-old male brought to the operating room for a biopsy of the pancreas. A wedge biopsy is taken and sent to pathology. The report comes back immediately indicating that primary malignant cells were present in the specimen. The decision was made to perform a total pancreatectomy. Code the operative procedure(s) and diagnosis only. Here are the choices A( 48100, 197.8 B) 48155, 157.8 C) 48155, 48100-51, 157.9, and D) 48155, 48100-51, 88308, 157.9. I chose B and it shows the answer as being C. I thought that biopsies were included in the total operative procedure, so why would it be added to this procedure code?
After posting this question on a forum I saw the rationale and it states that "Remember, on the certification exam third-party payer guidelines are NOT followed, so the biopsy is reported separately. I thought that biopsies were included in the greater procedure. Can someone please clarify this for me, I sit for my exam on December 8th and I do not want to get tripped up on something like this.
Answer Thread:
Laureen:
A) 48100, 197.8
B) 48155, 157.8
C) 48155, 48100-51, 157.9, and
D) 48155, 48100-51, 88308, 157.9
48100 - Biopsy of pancreas, open (eg, fine needle aspiration, needle core biopsy, wedge biopsy)
48155 - Pancreatectomy, total
Video Answer:
If you're interested in Findacode click this link
https://www.cco.us/findacode
Darlene:
Thank you so much for your quick response! I am sitting for my CPC in two weeks and as a matter of fact I have a telephone conversation with you tomorrow
I don't know why I had thought that they were bundled into the operative codes. So, if there isn't a code that includes a biopsy, then I can code for the biopsy separately. I just want to make sure of this in case there are any questions like this on the exam and I will make a note in my book so that I don't forget You are such a lifesaver!Laureen:
Hi Darlene,
They are not going to try to be that tricky. Things like the approach are bundled into the procedure - so you should know a laparotomy is bundled into an ovary removal for example. But things that would require CCI lookup will NOT be on the exam.
They are testing you on a general coding principles.
Remember don't over think things!