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32557 & 32555
Question:
My IR doctor did a diagnostic CT-guided aspiration of left thoracic fluid (32555), and then through a second puncture (same fluid collection) he placed a catheter under CT guidance and the catheter was secured to the skin and left in (32557). I'm confused because he's saying since 32555 was diagnostic and 32557 is therapeutic they can both be billed, plus 2 separate entry points. (I don't think that really counts.) There are no NCCI edits between 32555 and 32557, but I thought we could only bill one procedure per operative site. This was all one fluid collection even though two separate entry points. Can you please clarify for me (and my IR doctor) which is the correct way to bill this scenario?
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