New York State Radiological Society's Health Insurance and Compensation Committee Report of May 4, 2002

Intravascular Brachytherapy -                                                                 

    Effective April 15, 2002

     "Radiation therapy in the management of in-stent restenosis of the coronary artery."

     See Policy Number RD009E00

    Recommend review of this policy on your Medicare Carrier's Website - this report

        is from Upstate Medicare & HealthNow New York Inc.

        Medicare B Hotline, March, 2002, p 37-45   

    Empire Medicare's policy may be at @:

        http://www.empiremedicare.com/newypolicy/policy/rd009e00.htm

Noninvasive Vascular Diagnostic Studies -

    Revision Effective Date: December 19, 2001

   Revision Policy: VS001E05

   Recommend review of this policy on your Medicare Carrier's Website

        Medicare B Hotline, February, 2002, pp 33-42

   GHI's Medicare's policy may be found @:

        http://www.ghimedicare.com/lmrp2/vs001e05.html

Part B News describes confusion amongst some radiologists regarding what constitutes a COMPLETE abdominal ultrasound examination:

    "A complete abdominal ultrasound is imaging of the diaphragm to the level of the

    umbilicus, the liver, spleen, gallbladder, common duct, pancreas, hollow upper abdominal

    viscera and should include an interpretation of the findings...."

    Part B News. Vol. 16, No 9, March 4, 2002 p6

Swallowing vs. Speech Studies

    74230 - Ability to swallow - function is observed and swallowing of various materials can

        be evaluated.

     70371 - Speech evaluation

       Radiology Coding Alert, Vol. 4, No. 5, May, 2002, p. 36

Review of Modifiers:

    -51 Multiple procedures

    -59 Distinct procedural service

    -50 Bilateral procedures

    -53 Discontinues procedure; frequently used with one of the following codes:

            V64.1 -Procedure not performed because of contraindications

            V64.2 -Procedure not performed because of patient's decision

            V64.3 -Procedure not performed because of other reasons

        Radiology Coding Alert, Vol.4, No. 2, February, 2002, pp. 12-13

Respectfully submitted,

Arthur J. Segal, M.D., F.A.C.R.

Chairman, Medical Insurance and Compensation Committee