Question:
When we perform venipuncture, what code do we report?
Answer:
For venipuncture—one of the three specimen types typically collected by respiratory therapy, you would report the following CPT® code to all payers including Medicare.
| 36415 | Collection of venous blood by venipuncture |
Medicare will reimburse for the venipuncture procedure once per encounter. Be sure to differentiate between venipuncture, capillary collection and draws from a line or access device. When collecting capillary specimens (36416), the related cost is considered by Medicare to be insignificant and should be bundled to the test procedure.
CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
This question was answered in the 2018 edition of our Coding Essentials for RT/Pulmonary Function. For more hot topics relating to respiratory therapy services, please view our store, or call us at 1.800.252.1578 ext. 2.
CPT® copyright 2024 American Medical Association (AMA). All rights reserved.
Fee schedules, relative value units, conversion factors and/or related components are not assigned by the AMA, are not part of CPT, and the AMA is not recommending their use. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The AMA assumes no liability for data contained or not contained herein.
CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
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