Ultrasound guidance for vascular access requiring ultrasound evaluation of potential access sites, documentation of selected vessel patency, concurrent real-time ultrasound visualization of vascular needle entry, with permanent recording and reporting (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
Ultrasound guidance is often used to locate and gain entry into the access vessel for interventional radiology services. One of the most common questions we receive is whether or not ultrasound guidance, when used, can be coded separately. The answer to that question depends on a couple factors:
+76937 has a five-part list of criteria which are required in order to assign the code:
All five of the above criteria must be performed, but coders should keep an eye out for items 2, 3 and 4 when determining whether or not it is appropriate to code for ultrasound guidance. Documentation such as patent, narrowed or tortuous vessels and visualization of needle entry into the vessel must be in the report.
| Good Documentation These examples would be sufficient to support the assignment of +76937 | Lacking Documentation* These examples would not be sufficient to support the assignment of code +76937 |
|---|---|
| “the right common femoral artery was evaluated with ultrasound, it is normal, images were obtained. The artery was accessed using ultrasound guidance and a micropuncture kit” | “percutaneous puncture of the right common femoral artery was performed using single wall puncture technique under real-time ultrasound guidance using a skinny needle” |
| “a small dermatotomy made, through which the patent left radial artery was punctured percutaneously under direct sonographic guidance with a 21-gauge needle. Permanent sonographic image of arterial puncture achieved.” | “the left common femoral vein was accessed with a micropuncture system under ultrasound guidance and a J-wire was advanced and a 5 French sheath was placed” |
*Note that in these are examples and it is important to look through the entire report to ensure there was no additional discussion of the access within the report. These examples assume this was the totality of the dictation regarding access under ultrasound guidance.
It’s easy to see the difference between the examples and how, with a few small changes, the question of whether ultrasound guidance for vascular access can be coded (when appropriate) can be easily resolved.
Hospitals across the country are facing mounting financial pressure from Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. One increasingly common tactic used by MA payers is systematic downcoding:
Monitor Mondays listeners know that I end each segment with a song. Normally the topic drives the song, but to start the new year, the
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Expert presenters Kathy Pride, RHIT, CPC, CCS-P, CPMA, and Brandi Russell, RHIA, CCS, COC, CPMA, break down complex fracture care coding rules, walk through correct modifier application (-25, -57, 54, 55), and clarify sequencing for initial and subsequent encounters. Attendees will gain the practical knowledge needed to submit clean claims, ensure compliance, and stay one step ahead of payer audits in 2026.
Accurately determining the principal diagnosis is critical for compliant billing, appropriate reimbursement, and valid quality reporting — yet it remains one of the most subjective and error-prone areas in inpatient coding. In this expert-led session, Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, demystifies the complexities of principal diagnosis assignment, bridging the gap between coding rules and clinical reality. Learn how to strengthen your organization’s coding accuracy, reduce denials, and ensure your documentation supports true medical necessity.
Denials continue to delay reimbursement, increase administrative burden, and threaten financial stability across healthcare organizations. This essential webcast tackles the root causes—rising payer scrutiny, fragmented workflows, inconsistent documentation, and underused analytics—and offers proven, data-driven strategies to prevent and overturn denials. Attendees will gain practical tools to strengthen documentation and coding accuracy, engage clinicians effectively, and leverage predictive analytics and AI to identify risks before they impact revenue. Through real-world case examples and actionable guidance, this session empowers coding, CDI, and revenue cycle professionals to shift from reactive appeals to proactive denial prevention and revenue protection.
Sepsis remains one of the most frequently denied and contested diagnoses, creating costly revenue loss and compliance risks. In this webcast, Angela Comfort, DBA, MBA, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P, provides practical, real-world strategies to align documentation with coding guidelines, reconcile Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 definitions, and apply compliant queries. You’ll learn how to identify and address documentation gaps, strengthen provider engagement, and defend diagnoses against payer scrutiny—equipping you to protect reimbursement, improve SOI/ROM capture, and reduce audit vulnerability in this high-risk area.
Stay ahead of the 2026-2027 audit surge with “Top 10 Audit Targets for 2026-2027 for Hospitals & Physicians: Protect Your Revenue,” a high-impact webcast led by Michael Calahan, PA, MBA. This concise session gives hospitals and physicians clear insight into the most likely federal audit targets, such as E/M services, split/shared and critical care, observation and admissions, device credits, and Two-Midnight Rule changes, and shows how to tighten documentation, coding, and internal processes to reduce denials, recoupments, and penalties. Attendees walk away with practical best practices to protect revenue, strengthen compliance, and better prepare their teams for inevitable audits.
As AI reshapes healthcare compliance, the risk of biased outputs and opaque decision-making grows. This webcast, led by Frank Cohen, delivers a practical Four-Pillar Governance Framework—Transparency, Accountability, Fairness, and Explainability—to help you govern AI-driven claim auditing with confidence. Learn how to identify and mitigate bias, implement robust human oversight, and document defensible AI review processes that regulators and auditors will accept. Discover concrete remedies, from rotation protocols to uncertainty scoring, and actionable steps to evaluate vendors before contracts are signed. In a regulatory landscape that moves faster than ever, gain the tools to stay compliant, defend your processes, and reduce liability while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Get clear, practical answers to Medicare’s most confusing regulations. Join Dr. Ronald Hirsch as he breaks down real-world compliance challenges and shares guidance your team can apply right away.
Federal auditors are zeroing in on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) and hospital rehab unit services, with OIG and CERT audits leading to millions in penalties—often due to documentation and administrative errors, not quality of care. Join compliance expert Michael Calahan, PA, MBA, to learn the five clinical “pillars” of IRF-PPS admissions, key documentation requirements, and real-life case lessons to help protect your revenue.
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 1 with code CYBER25
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
