Please note this question was answered in 2020. The coding advice may or may not be outdated.
Pericardial Effusion Drainage
Date: Jul 27, 2020
Question:
Patient is status post CABG. Returned to the OR during same hospitalization for sternal rewiring due to sternal dehiscence (secondary to chronic coughing). Patient also has drainage of posterior pericardial effusion. Is it correct to bill both codes 21750 and 33019 with modifier -78? If so, do either of these codes need modifier -51 or -59?
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