Looking for Tonsil Biopsy Code?
Posted on 26. Sep, 2009 by Editor in Coding Challenge
Question: My physician did a punch excisional biopsy of the left tonsil, but I’m not seeing a code for this. What should I do?
Answer: You don’t see a code, because no specific code exists for a biopsy of the tonsils.
You should instead report the code based on whether the otolaryngologist used a scope. If he didn’t, you should assign 42800 (Biopsy; oropharynx).
If the physician used an endoscope, you should report 31535 (Laryngoscopy, direct, operative, with biopsy) or 31536 (… with operating microscope).
Note: CPT classifies “indirect” laryngoscopy as an endoscopy, even though the procedure requires a mirror, not an endoscope.
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