Question:
What are the intentions of codes 36470 and 36471 and when should we assign one as opposed to the other?
Answer:
Codes 36470 and 36471 are intended for injection of a sclerosant into one or more incompetent veins (typically in the lower extremity). Assign code 36470 once if only a single incompetent vein is treated, regardless of the number of injections performed. If more than one incompetent vein is treated in the same leg, assign code 36471 only once. This code (36471) is not an add-on code, so you do not need to have code 36470 (ipsilaterally) to assign 36471. These codes include accessing the vein, local anesthesia, contrast injection, and fluoroscopy as well as injection of the sclerosing material. CPT parenthetical instructions state that code 76942 may also be assigned if utilized and documented.
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