In CPT coding, how should percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) be coded?

• A. PCI is coded using ICD-10-CM codes only
• B. Use CPT codes for PCI describing the intervention; ensure correct pairing with diagnostic studies and apply NCCI edits if needed
• C. PCI is not coded separately
• D. PCI uses radiology codes only

Answer: (B)

When coding PCI, the CPT procedure codes that describe the interventional work are used. ICD-10-CM diagnoses identify why the procedure was done, not the procedure itself, so they don’t replace the CPT codes for the intervention. Pair the PCI CPT codes with any relevant diagnostic studies as appropriate, and apply NCCI edits to ensure proper bundling and to avoid improper unbundling. Radiology codes by themselves aren’t used to report PCI, and PCI is not coded only with ICD-10-CM.