Question:
If a temporary pacemaker lead is inserted during a diagnostic heart cath, is it appropriate to charge for this lead placement if the patient does not leave the procedure room with it (the pacemaker lead)?
Answer:
The 2018 NCCI Policy Manual for Medicare Services, Chapter 5, Section D, states the following:
- CPT® codes 33210 and 33211 describe insertion or replacement of temporary transvenous single and dual chamber respectively cardiac electrodes or pacemaker cath eters. These codes should not be reported with open or percutaneous cardiac procedures performed at the same patient encounter.
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
This question is answered in the 2018 edition of our Peripheral and Cardiology Coder. For more hot topics relating to cardiology services, please view our store, or call us at 1.800.252.1578 ext. 2.