AMA CPT® Assistant - 2002 Issue 1 (January)
Respiratory System (January 2002)
January 2002 page 10c Coding Consultation Respiratory System, Surgery, 31622, 31624 (Q&A) Question My physician performed a flexible bronchoscopy with bilateral bronchial alveolar lavage (code 31624). Should modifier -50, Bilateral procedure, be appended to code 31624, or is 31624 an inherently bilateral procedure code? AMA Comment From a coding perspective, the series of codes 31623-31656 describe unilateral procedures. To indicate that a procedure from this series was performed bilaterally, modifier -50, Bilateral procedure, should be appended to the appropriate code. Therefore, modifier -50 should be appended to code 31624 when bronchial alveolar lavage is performed bilaterally. Please note...
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