Correct Answer

verified
Professional Services: 42831 (Adenoids, Excision), 69436-51-50 or 69436-51 (Tympanostomy), 69436-51-50 (Tympanostomy), 92586-26 (Audiometry, Brainstem Evoked Response)
ICD-10-CM DX: J35.2 (Hypertrophy/hypertrophic, adenoids), H66.90 (Otitis media, acute and chronic), H90.2 (Deafness, conductive)
Explanation: The report indicated in the Procedure Performed section that the adenoidectomy was primary. There are codes for a primary adenoidectomy, which is the initial removal of the adenoids, and a secondary adenoidectomy, which is a subsequent removal of tissue that was not removed during the previous surgical procedure. An initial removal for a patient age 12 or over is 42831.
The tympanostomy placement of tubes is bilateral in this case (sometimes only one tube is inserted) and is reported with 69436 for one tube. The format of the reporting is dependent upon the third-party payer. Some payers would direct the provider to report the procedure code only one time with modifier -50 (bilateral procedure), other payers would direct the code to be reported twice with -51 and -50 on the second code. Note that for the professional service, the modifier -51 is used with 69436 on both appearances of the code as the adenoidectomy is the most resource intensive and would be listed first, followed by other procedures performed during the same operative session with -51 added (unless it is the hospital bill, in which case -51 is omitted).
The ABR (auditory brainstem response) is an audiometry (measurement of hearing) in which electrodes are placed on the scalp and the auditory system is stimulated. An electrical recording is made of the results from auditory nerve and brainstem. The operative report stated the test was limited and the service is reported with 92586. The professional portion of the service was provided by the physician (-26), and the technical portion of the service was provided by the facility (-TC).
The tympanostomy was performed due to acute and chronic otitis media and reported with H66.90.
The patient has both acute otitis media and chronic otitis media. The operative report refers to "glue-like" material but does not specify that this is purulent (pus) or otherwise. As a result, the unspecified code, H66.90, must be used.
The conductive hearing loss is not specified as unilateral or bilateral nor is the location (external, inner, middle, tympanic membrane, etc); therefore, the unspecified code H90.2 must be used. The operative report specifies the tubes were put in the middle ear. ("An anterior/inferior incision was created, and a large amount of glue-like material was removed from the middle ear cavity.") This would seem to support that this is a bilateral middle ear conductive hearing loss. But before it can be coded as such, the physician should be asked to clarify and document.