Oncology CPT codes For Simulation Claims

Since you have only one chance to report simulation per treatment course, you should nab the right code the very first time by focusing on the number of ports, treatment volumes and treatment devices.

You can choose four simulation codes from the CPT basket:

77280 - therapeutic radiology simulation-aided field setting; simple

77285 - Intermediate

77290 - Complex

77295 - 3-dimensional


Each code has both professional and technical components, so be sure to append modifier 26 (professional component) when reporting only the physician’ services.
If your coding software doesn’t alert you when modifier 26 is an option, see if you can enter notes manually for a pop-up reminder.

77280 is right for a single treatment area with either a single port or parallel opposed ports and simple or no blocking, as per CPT guidelines preceding the simulation codes.

If the simulation involves three or more converging ports, two separate treatment areas, or multiple blocks, according to CPT guidelines, 77285 is the right code.
If you are to report 77290, the simulation should involve three or more treatment areas, tangential ports, rotation or arc therapy, complex blocking, custom shielding blocks, brachytherapy source verification, contrast use or hyperthermia, according to CPT guidelines.

77295 calls for documentation of computer-generated 3-D reconstruction of tumor volume and surrounding critical normal tissue from CT or MRI data to prepare for therapy, as laid down in CPT guidelines.

To get more insight on CPT codes for oncology, you can register yourself for one-stop medical coding websites, where you’ll get the entire CPT code list, the latest changes, among a host of other coding know how.

CPT Latest Changes

Come January 2010, and Current procedural Terminology (CPT) will bring with it lots of changes and challenges. If you are a coder and want to avoid denials, you need to keep pace with what’s new, what’s been added and what’s been deleted as far as the CPT codes are concerned.

But getting on top of all the CPT code changes is not too big a task as there are various sources you can fall back on to keep you updated on the latest CPT code changes. For one, you can go for CPT changes 2010 workshop which American Medical Association (AMA) hosts. There is also a “CPT network”, an internet-based system that provides members with tools to quickly research a database of frequently-asked questions. If you are a registered user and find the answer to a specific question missing, you will have the capacity to submit an electronic inquiry using a standardized form directly to the CPT coding experts.

What’s more, you can even go for CPT/RVU Search, which gives users of CPT the opportunity to perform CPT code searches and get hold of vital CPT coding information.

To keep yourself up-to-date and current, you can even sign up to receive e-mail notification when changes are posted to the AMA website. There are also medical coding conferences that take place at regular intervals which you can attend to get on top of the CPT changes.

Moreover, there are also various one-stop medical coding websites where you can have access to free CPT codes online. Normally, such websites offer free trails and if you see that it suits your purpose, you can go ahead and register for it.

CPT Changes To Keep The Cash Flowing

To use CPT codes, you need to have substantial knowledge in the general medical parlance. The year 2010 will witness a lot of CPT code additions, deletions and revisions. So much so that it’s easy to be overwhelmed.

How do you keep your coding up to date and current whilst ensuring the reimbursements that you deserve?

If you are to avoid claim denials and coding errors this January, you certainly need to keep pace with the latest CPT changes. Since the changes are all too many, focus on the relevant and critical updates to CPT.

After every CPT code change, coders find themselves asking:

What you should stop using?

What you should start using?

What you need to use differently?

Why are there so many changes for the coming year?

If such questions are clouding your mind, there are various sources to help you out – both online and offline. There are books published by a number of publishers including the American medical Association (AMA) that holds the right to it. Apart from the CPT book, there are other one-stop coding websites, where you can get all the CPT code changes. Normally these websites offer study guides, tutorials and assessments that can help you get acquainted with specific CPT codes. Some websites offer free trails which you can try out and register for it later on if it fits your requirements. Normally, a CPT coding website would offer you simple instant connections to official code descriptors and guidelines.

When you register yourself for one, you’ll find that keeping pace with the approximately 500 CPT changes for the coming year is no big deal at all.