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Thoracotomy with bilateral lung wedge resections

Date: Sep 29, 2021

Question:

Doctor performs a thoracotomy and does wedge resections of a nodule in each lung. Code 32505 does not allow a -50 modifier. It also has an MUE of 1, and it is a date of service edit, so we cannot bill two units or with a -59 modifier. The only way we can see is to bill 32505 with 32506 even though the add-on code 32506 is intended for an additional resection of the same lung. If this were done by VATS (32666) it allows a -50 modifier. Do you have any insight? Would you agree with 32505 with 32506 for a left and right wedge resection by thoracotomy?

Question ID : 15934
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