ZHealth Coding Newsletter - May 2017
May 2017 Q & A
Question: 96374 with an Ablation
We had a case where Ibutilide was administered during an atrial flutter ablation procedure (93653). The Medicare claims processing manual, chapter 4, section 230.2 discusses this and says, "Hospitals should report all HCPCS codes that describe the drug administration services provided, regardless of whether or not those services are separately paid or their payment is packaged." 93653 had a "J1". 96374 has an SI of "S".
In your opinion, Ibutilide is inherent or not inherent to an ablation procedure, in which it's not always used as part of the procedure, to lets say contrast to an diagnostic angiography, is it then ok to bill 96374 for an IV push, and 96365 for an infusion, if they are given Ibutilide as part of an ablation for a flutter or A-Fib?