Medical Oncology Code Changes
According to the Federal Register, November 7, 2003 (OPPS Final Rule) and effective in 2004, there will be new CPT codes for the administration of Zevalin:
78804 Radiopharmaceutical localization of tumor or distribution of radiopharmaceutical agent(s); whole body, requiring two or more days imaging
79403 Radiopharmaceutical therapy, radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, by intravenous infusion
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These codes will replace the HCPCS codes used for 2003 (G0273 & G0274), which have been deleted. In addition, the following HCPCS codes will be reported for the radiopharmaceuticals:
A9522 Indium 111 ibritumomab tiuxetan
A9523 Yttrium 90 ibritumomab tiuxetan
Other hospital billing news includes the deletion of HCPCS codes G0256 and G0261 for prostate seed brachytherapy. Hospitals will now report this service with CPT codes 77778 and 55859, and will again report the seeds with pass-through codes:
C1718 Brachytherapy source, iodine 125
C1720 Brachytherapy source, palladium 103
Cindy C. Parman, CPC, CPC-H
principal and co-founder of Coding Strategies, Inc. in Atlanta, GA. Cindy is a current member of the Advisory Board for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and a faculty instructor for AMA Solutions, a subsidiary of the American Medical Association. She serves as the Consulting Editor of the Radiology Coding Alert and is on the Editorial Advisory Board of General Surgery Coding Alert and Pain Management Coding Alert.