Coding Strategy

Following 10-year-rule eliminates G0121 rejection.

If you slip up on screening colonoscopy claims’ frequency guidelines and eligibility requirements, Medicare will pay you zilch.

Use this guidance to capture every screening dollar your gastroenterologist deserves.

Home in on Eligibility Requirements for Average-Risk Test

Any Medicare patient 50 years or older is eligible for a covered Medicare screening, explains Dena Rumisek, CPC, biller at Grand River Gastroenterology PC in Michigan. These patients can have a colorectal cancer screening only once every 10 years. You’d be wise to pay attention to the frequency guidelines, as “Medicare is very stringent on the date … it has to be 10 years or longer — it can’t be 9 years and 360 days” between covered screening colonoscopies, Remise warns.

Example: A 73-year-old established Medicare patient with average risk for colorectal cancer reports for a screening colonoscopy on Feb. 11, 2009. The patient’s records indicate that he last had a covered screening on Jan. 31, 1999. On the claim, you should report G0121 (Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual not meeting criteria for high risk).

One bit of simplicity: Report G0121 if there is no need for any therapeutic intervention during the colonoscopy. All G0121 claims require only one diagnosis code: V76.51 (Special screening for malignant neoplasms; colon). “If the chart shows a diagnosis such as colitis, you shouldn’t be reporting a screening,” says Michael Weinstein, MD, a gastroenterologist in Washington, D.C., and former member of the AMA’s CPT Advisory Panel.

Error averted: The chart notes and the procedure diagnosis should be consistent. “This is something the OIG and RAC auditors are scrutinizing,” Weinstein says.

Change Your Coding for Recent Sigmoidoscopy

The frequency rules differ depending on whether other related colorectal cancer tests were performed previously. If a patient has had a routine flexible sigmoidoscopy screening (G0104, Colorectal cancer screening; flexible sigmoidoscopy), he is not entitled to a screening colonoscopy for at least 48 months.

Example: An average-risk established Medicare patient reports to the gastroenterologist for a screening colonoscopy on March 18, 2010. The patient’s medical record indicates that he had a flexible sigmoidoscopy screening on April 7, 2007.

This patient is not now eligible under Medicare guidelines for a screening colonoscopy because it has been only three years since his sigmoidoscopy. Therefore, you cannot report G0121 for the March 2010 procedure and expect payment from Medicare.

Alter the Rules for High-Risk Patients

A patient who is considered at high risk for colorectal cancer might be entitled to a screening colonoscopy as frequently as once every 24 months. You’ll list a V code (such as V10.05, Personal history of malignant neoplasm; large intestine, or V12.72, Personal history of certain other diseases; diseases of digestive system; colonic polyps) as the primary diagnosis for these tests — most of the time.

Exception: If a patient has a condition that automatically puts him at high risk for colorectal cancer, then you would list that condition as the primary diagnosis (for instance, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis; check your local coverage determination [LCD] for your payer’s specific list).

Example: A 69-year-old established Medicare patient with a personal history of colonic polyps reports to the gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy screening on March 1, 2010. The patient record indicates that the patient’s last colonoscopy screening was Feb. 4, 2008. On the claim, report G0105 (Colorectal cancer screening; colonoscopy on individual at high risk) with V12.72 appended.

Beware Private Payer Screening Differences

Some private payers will reimburse for colonoscopy screenings — their coding practices for these services, however, can differ from Medicare. Many U.S. states have passed legislation similar to the Medicare regulations requiring all health insurance companies to cover routine colorectal cancer screening starting at age 50. Most non-Medicare payers accept 45378 (Colonoscopy, flexible, proximal to splenic flexure; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing; with or without colon decompression [separate procedure]) for a screening colonoscopy. Before coding these services, check the payer’s frequency and diagnosis guidelines. Each payer reimburses for screenings according to the patient’s policy.

G codes possible: Other private payers might want you to code the same way as Medicare. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan accepts the G codes nd follows most of the same diagnosis guidelines as Medicare, says Rumisek.

Best bet: Check with your private payers before coding any screening colonoscopy services.

@ Gastroenterology Coding Alert, Editor: Caroline Harris

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Reading 44373’s code descriptor is key to getting your G Tube claim right.

Question: The gastroenterologist goes to the hospital to treat a patient that had recently been admitted because his gastrojejunostomy tube had migrated to his stomach. After performing a problem focused interval history and exam, the gastroenterologist decides to perform an EGD to reposition the tube. I cannot find a code for repositioning a G tube; how should I code this scenario?

Answer: Judging by your encounter description, the patient’s percutaneous jejunostomy tube (J tube) slipped and became a percutaneous gastrostomy tube (G tube). On the claim, report the following:

• 44373 (Small intestinal endoscopy, enteroscopy beyond second portion of duodenum, not including ileum; with conversion of percutaneousgastrostomy tube to a percutaneous jejunostomy tube) for the EGD;
• 99231 (Subsequent hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: a problem focused interval history; a problem focused examination; medical decision making that is straightforward or of low complexity …) for the E/M;
• modifier 25 (Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the same day of the procedure or other service) appended to 99231 to show that the E/M and tube fix were separate services; and
• 536.42 (Disorders of function of stomach; gastrostomy complications; mechanical complication of gastrostomy) appended to 44373 and 99231 to represent the patient’s condition.

Explanation: The descriptor for 44373 might be a bit misleading, but it mentions only “tube conversion.” The tube does not necessarily have to be new.

@ Gastroenterology Coding Alert

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Question: Notes indicate that the gastroenterologist performs a rigid sigmoidoscopy; during the encounter, he also performs an anoscopy without anesthesia and three biopsies of the mucous membrane. How should I report this episode? Can I report the exam separately with 46600?

Answer: You can report a single code for these three services. On the claim, report 45305 (Proctosigmodoscopy, rigid; with biopsy, single or multiple) for the sigmoidoscopy, the anorectal exam, and the three biopsies.

Why: When the gastroenterologist performs an anoscopy (46600 [Anoscopy; diagnostic, with or without collection of specimen[s] by brushing or washing [separate procedure]) or mucous membrane biopsy during a sigmoidoscopy, the services are bundled into 45305.

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