Question:
Can you please advise when we are to use 76827? This seems to be a stand-alone code by definition but some feel it’s an add-on code to 76825.
Answer:
If all you do is a fetal echo with spectral Doppler, then you would code 76827, which is not an add-on code. However, if you do a regular 2D fetal echo and then do the duplex exam also, you can code both 76825 and 76827:
76827 | Doppler echocardiography, fetal, pulsed wave and/or continuous wave with spectral display; complete |
76825 | Echocardiography, fetal, cardiovascular system, real time with image documentation (2D), with or without M-mode recording; |
You can also assign the following add-on code if color mapping is performed with 76827:
+93325 | Doppler echocardiography color flow velocity mapping (List separately in addition to codes for echocardiography) |