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Breast Biopsy and Failed Cyst Aspiraton

Date: Feb 19, 2014

Question:

When a patient arrives with an abnormality in the breast, and an aspiration is attempted and no fluid is obtained, and then the procedure is immediately switched to a core biopsy, the attempted cyst aspiration is not billed... am I correct (i.e., the code would be 19083)? The second part of the question is when a patient comes in and the cyst aspiration fails to acquire any fluid, but there is no other intervention performed, the cyst aspiration IS charged... am I correct [i.e., 76942 (ultrasound-guided) and 19000]?

Question ID : 5405
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