A Growing Trend
by Cheryl Nash and AJ Riviezo
Some payers are requiring a rule out of peripheral artery disease to be contained in the history and physical prior to granting an authorization. One way to add this element is through a pedal pulse examination. Another is to have your RVT (or you as the case may be) perform an ultrasound peripheral arterial examination. The codes for these studies are 93925 bilaterally and 93926 for a single leg examination. The relevant diagnosis code is 459.81 – venous insufficiency.
One concern to consider is the amount of time each patient will be spending prior to any real treatment if you couple an ultrasound arterial examination with a venous examination and the history and physical. Some patients may not be willing to spend that much time being ‘worked up’. Discussing the reasons for the amount of time and what each elements helps determine will assist in alleviating this concern.
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