Radiology Question for the Week of March 20, 2017

Question:

I have been assigning the following codes for contrast-enhanced liver ultrasound:
76705       Ultrasound, abdominal, real time with image documentation; limited (e.g., single organ, quadrant, follow-up)
Q9950      Injection, perflexane lipid microspheres, per ml
However, I was just told that I should be reporting C9744 (ultrasound, abdominal, with contrast) instead. Is this correct?

Answer:

The answer depends on whether you are billing for an outpatient hospital department, an imaging center, or a physician. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added code C9744 in October 2016 for outpatient hospital billing of contrast-enhanced abdominal ultrasound. If you are billing for the hospital, you would report C9744 and Q9950 (injection, sulfur hexafluoride lipid microspheres, per ml) for LUMASON^® (sulfur hexafluoride lipid-type A microspheres) for injectable suspension, for intravenous use or intravesical use.

However, only outpatient hospital departments billing under OPPS should bill the C-codes. If you are billing for a physician or a non-hospital imaging center, you would continue to report code 76705 (ultrasound, abdominal, real time with image documentation; limited [e.g., single organ, quadrant, follow-up]) along with Q9950.

LUMASON^® (sulfur hexafluoride lipid-type A microspheres) for injectable suspension, for intravenous use or intravesical use

INDICATIONS AND USAGE¹

LUMASON is an ultrasound contrast agent indicated for use:
• in echocardiography to opacify the left ventricular chamber and to improve the delineation of the left ventricular endocardial border in adult patients with suboptimal echocardiograms
• in ultrasonography of the liver for characterization of focal liver lesions in adult and pediatric patients
• in ultrasonography of the urinary tract for the evaluation of suspected or known vesicoureteral reflux in pediatric patients

CONTRAINDICATIONS¹
LUMASON is contraindicated in patients with:
• history of hypersensitivity reactions to sulfur hexafluoride lipid microsphere components or to any of the inactive ingredients in LUMASON

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION¹

The risk for serious cardiopulmonary reactions may be increased among patients with unstable cardiopulmonary conditions (acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary artery syndromes, worsening or unstable congestive heart failure, or serious ventricular arrhythmias) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].¹

Please see full Prescribing Information including boxed WARNING by clicking here.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

LUMASON is manufactured for Bracco Diagnostics Inc., Monroe Township, NJ 08831 by Bracco Suisse S.A., Plan-les-Ouates Geneve, Switzerland (LUMASON lyophilized powder vial-25 mg lipid-type A/60.7 sulfur hexafluoride gas); Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbH & Co. KG, 88212 Ravensburg, Germany (Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection, USP); B. Braun Melsungen AG, 34212 Melsungen, Germany (Mini-Spike).

LUMASON is a registered trademark of Bracco Diagnostics Inc.

1. LUMASON (sulfur hexafluoride lipid-type A microspheres) for injectable suspension, for intravenous use or intravesical use full Prescribing Information. Monroe Twp., NJ: Bracco Diagnostics Inc.; December 2016.