Question:
If a patient comes into our hospital (probably in A-Fib), and an EKG confirms the A-Fib, then they are taken to the EP suite where a cardioversion is performed, are we allowed to code for the EKG with a 59 modifier?
Answer:
A diagnostic EKG done prior to the determination of the need for the cardioversion (or other procedure) is separately billable. The EKG monitoring during the procedure would not be separately billable.