From colonoscopies and endoscopies to modifier use, prior authorizations, and payer edits, even small mistakes can slow payments and lead to denials. Medivantek diagnoses billing issues early, fixes revenue leaks, and keeps your claims moving smoothly. We help gastroenterology practices improve collections, reduce rejections, and build a healthier revenue cycle without adding stress to your team.
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A screening colonoscopy (G0121) converts to a diagnostic or therapeutic code (45378-45385) the moment a polyp is identified or a biopsy is performed. Most billers know this rule. They still miss it. Because the documentation is buried in a procedure note that the biller never sees.
Medicare applies a 50 percent payment reduction to the second and subsequent procedures performed in the same session. Most practices sequence codes randomly. The result is a lower payment than they deserve. We sequence your codes by RVU value — highest first — so the reduction applies to the lowest-value procedure, not the highest.
The same colonoscopy code pays differently in a hospital outpatient department (POS 22), an ambulatory surgery center (POS 24), and an office-based suite (POS 11). One wrong place of service code triggers the wrong fee schedule. We verify the correct POS for every claim before submission.
Remove polyps from multiple segments of the colon? Add 45387. Control bleeding after polypectomy? Add 45382. These add-on codes increase reimbursement by 30 to 50 percent. They also require precise documentation and correct modifier application. We review every procedure note for billable add-ons. Nothing gets left behind.
| Procedure | Common Codes | What We Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Screening Colonoscopy | G0121 | Upgrade To 45385 When A Polyp Is Found |
| Diagnostic Colonoscopy | 45378 | Add Biopsy Code 45380 When Performed |
| Colonoscopy With Polypectomy | 45385 | Add 45387 For Multiple Segment Removal |
| Upper Endoscopy (EGD) | 43235 | Upgrade To 43239 When Biopsy Taken |
| EGD With Biopsy | 43239 | Do Not Bill A Separate Biopsy Code |
| ERCP | 43260-43278 | Code Varies By Intervention – We Match Exactly |
| Capsule Endoscopy | 91110 | Prior Authorization Required – We Handle It |
| Hemorrhoid Banding | 46221 | Covered For Symptomatic Internal Hemorrhoids |
| Biologic Infusion | 96413 + J-Code | Document Start/Stop Times Precisely |
| Moderate Sedation | 99152-99153 | Bill Only When GI Provider Gives Sedation |
We submit prior authorization requests within 24 hours of scheduling. We track authorization numbers, approved codes, effective dates, and expiration dates. We check each authorization before the claim goes out. No surprises. No denials. Commercial payers require prior authorization for:
Colonoscopy with biopsy generates two revenue streams: the procedure (billed by the GI practice) and the pathology (billed by the lab or pathologist).
| Procedure (Billed By The GI Practice) | Pathology (Billed By The Lab Or Pathologist) |
|---|---|
| When You Own The Lab And Employ The Pathologist | Use The Global Code (88305) With No Modifier. Keep 100 Percent. |
| When You Own The Lab, But An Outside Pathologist Reads The Slides | Lab Bills TC. Pathologist Bills 26. You Keep The Technical Component. |
| When A Reference Lab Processes The Specimens | The Lab Bills Everything. You Collect Nothing. |
Many GI practices outsource all pathology and leave significant revenue on the table. We help you evaluate whether in-house pathology makes financial sense. If you keep it in-house, we bill every 88305 unit correctly – one per biopsy site, not per specimen container.
We verify coverage before every procedure. Screening frequency. Diagnostic benefits. Prior authorization requirements. Visit limits. Patient cost-sharing. No surprises on the day of service.
We submit authorization requests within 24 hours of scheduling. We track approvals, effective dates, and expiration dates. We re-verify before every claim.
We capture every charge from the procedure note. Colonoscopy. EGD. Biopsy. Polyp removal. Pathology. Infusion. No missed codes. No lost revenue.
We scrub every claim against GI-specific NCCI edits, payer policies, and Medicare LCDs. Wrong modifiers. Missing add-ons. Incorrect POS codes. We catch them before the claim goes out.
We work on every denial within 48 hours. We appeal with payer-specific arguments. We track denial patterns by payer and by code. We fix root causes, not just individual claims.
We follow up on every unpaid claim at 15, 30, 45, and 60 days. We reconcile payments against contracted rates. We appeal underpayments. We keep your AR days low.
From solo practitioners to multi-physician groups. We scale to your volume and complexity.
We standardize billing across multiple office locations, ASCs, and hospital affiliations. One workflow. One reporting dashboard. One revenue stream.
We manage facility fee billing, professional component separation, and payer contract rates for GI-focused ASCs.
We integrate with academic EMRs. We manage teaching physician rules and split/shared visit billing.
We handle biologic infusions, liver biopsies, and chronic case management for complex GI patients.
Billing 45385 without documented polyp removal
Billing an E/M on the same day as a procedure without documentation
Billing 99152 when a CRNA provided sedation
Billing separate codes for services that NCCI edits bundle