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Permatemp Pacemaker Placed Post TAVR

Date: Mar 3, 2014

Question:

Recently our cardiologists have started prophylactically inserting a "permatemp pacemaker" at the end of all TAVR procedures as part of a new guideline (I'm not sure whether this is an internal policy or a new guideline for standard of care on all TAVR). If no significant heart block develops, they are removed later. I feel that we should not bill for prophylactic care and that code 33216, and then the subsequent 33234, should only be billed when the patient is documented as having heart block necessitating the continued pacing after the removal of the pacing wire/balloon used during the TAVR. What are your thoughts?

Question ID : 5441
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