Radiology Question for the Week of April 23, 2018

Question:

When we have a patient who has a lower extremity and upper extremity venous duplex scan (CPT^®s 93970 and/or 93971), we sometimes (although rarely) evaluate for an upper and lower deep vein thrombosis (DVT). How should we bill if we image all four extremities?

Answer:

If venous duplex scans of both the upper and lower extremities are performed, you bill 93970 twice if both are bilateral or 93971 twice if unilateral or otherwise limited. It would not be appropriate to report 93970 when, for example, the left arm and the right leg are imaged. In that case report limited code 93971 twice. Modifier -59 (distinct procedural service) would be needed on the second code to indicate that it was a different body area.