Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR - also known as TAVI or transcatheter aortic valve implantation) is used in the treatment of aortic stenosis. A bioprosthetic valve is inserted percutaneously using a catheter and implanted in the orifice of the aortic valve.
TAVR/TAVI Coding. The TAVR/TAVI codes (CPT® 33361-33366) have been in place since 2013, and their use is fairly straightforward; however, you may have questions about how to code for transcatheter aortic valve in valve procedures.
TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT (TAVR) 02RF38Z Replacement of Aortic Valve with Zooplastic Tissue, Percutaneous Approach 266 with MCC $46,476 267 without MCC $36,915 INPATIENT-ONLY PROCEDURE The TAVR procedure is designated by CMS as an Inpatient-Only Procedure.
A bioprosthetic valve is inserted percutaneously using a catheter and implanted in the orifice of the aortic valve. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) covers transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) with the following conditions:
TAVR ICD-10-CM DIAGNOSIS CODING The principal diagnosis coding for TAVR patients is standard. These patients are all being treated for aortic valve stenosis. I35. 0 is normally always coded as principal.
TAVR claims with dates of service on and after January 1, 2014, shall instead use permanent CPT code 33366.
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) involves inserting a catheter into a blood vessel in your upper leg or chest and passing it towards your aortic valve. The catheter is then used to guide and fix a replacement valve over the top of the old one.
Purpose: Transapical aortic valve implantation is a new minimally invasive technique for beating heart, off-pump, aortic valve implantation in high-risk patients.
Replacement of Aortic Valve with Nonautologous Tissue Substitute, Percutaneous Approach. ICD-10-PCS 02RF3KZ is a specific/billable code that can be used to indicate a procedure.
Nonrheumatic aortic valve disorder, unspecified I35. 9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM I35. 9 became effective on October 1, 2021.
TAVI stands for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The procedure and its approaches are the same as TAVR. Your doctor may use the terms interchangeably when discussing your treatment options.
Valve-in-valve TAVR: Many replacement valves that people receive are made from animal tissue (bioprosthetic). These tissue valves can break down or fail over time.
Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) has been the standard practice for treating severe, symptomatic AS, but recently new treatment options have emerged. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is now an established treatment option in patients at high surgical risk.
Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is used to treat valve and structural heart conditions, including aortic stenosis, without open heart surgery. This minimally invasive procedure can lower your risk of major complications.
Document transcatheter valve-in-valve procedure. Medicare will only pay TAVR physician claims for CPT codes 33361 – 33366 when billed with the following:* Notes: As per American Medical Association (AMA) requirements for TAVR, TAVR is a two-physician (IC & CS) procedure.
The aortic valve is replaced with a new valve. Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR) remains the standard therapy for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis due to a long and established track record of very low death and stroke rates and excellent long-term valve durability.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR - also known as TAVI or transcatheter aortic valve implantation) is a new technology for use in treating aortic stenosis. A bioprosthetic valve is inserted percutaneously using a catheter and implanted in the orifice of the native aortic valve.
Do not report revenue code 0624 or IDE number (i.e., G160022) or other type of IDE description in the description field. This causes our Part A system to incorrectly look at the IDE number and then look for that IDE number and your PTAN in our system. Report revenue code 0624 and the IDE number in the description field only for IDE Part A claims, not for TAVR claims since it is nationally covered.
Indications and Limitations of Coverage. B. Nationally Covered Indications. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) covers transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) with the following conditions:
CPT 33361, 33362, 33363- 33369 - Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis
Physician Coding and Payment. 0256T: Implantation of catheter-delivered prosthetic aortic heart valve; endovascular approach 0257T: Implantation of catheter-delivered prosthetic aortic heart valve; open thoracic approach (eg, transapical, transventricular) 0258T: Transthoracic cardiac exposure (i.e., sternotomy, thoracotomy, subxiphoid) for catheter-delivered aortic valve replacement; without ...
aortic valve disorder of unspecified cause but with diseases of mitral and/or tricuspid valve (s) (I08.-); aortic valve disorder specified as congenital (Q23.0, Q23.1); aortic valve disorder specified as rheumatic (I06.-); hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (I42.1)
The principal diagnosis coding for TAVR patients is standard. These patients are all being treated for aortic valve stenosis. I35.0 is normally always coded as principal.
The clinical staff selection of the correct TAVR charge is a critical element in the hospitals’ documentation and reimbursement process. As inpatient procedures, the TAVR/TAVI charges are set up in the Chargemaster as a soft-coded charge, meaning the actual CPT code is not attached to the charge. When necessary, the CPT code will be attached to the charge by the coder. When performed in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, TAVR is usually reported as a single all-inclusive procedure charge. The charge includes virtually everything required to implant the valve successfully. This includes access, catheter placements, valve deployment, angiography during and after the procedure, arteriotomy closure, balloon valvuloplasty and a temporary pacemaker.
These separate charges include, moderate sedation and peripheral arterial/venous Cardiopulmonary bypass. Peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass would be charged as either Percutaneous (33367) or Open (33368) bypass support. Although it is highly unlikely, it is possible to report a separate and distinct diagnostic cardiac catheterization and/or coronary angiogram during a TAVR patient encounter. CAUTION: It would be highly unlikely for a patient to undergo a valve replacement without having a prior diagnostic cardiac cath. If the patient has already had a diagnostic cardiac catheterization it is not permitted to charge for a repeated cath during the TAVR.
TAVR is a transcatheter surgical procedure in which an aortic valve replacement is performed without removing the damaged native valve. In simple terms, it is similar to stent placement in that a fully collapsible valve is inserted through a catheter followed by the use of an angioplasty balloon to expand and seat the new valve. Once the new valve is seated, it pushes the old valve leaflets out of the way and the new valve takes control of the blood flow.
TAVR is covered for the treatment of symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. However it is only covered when provided under a specific clinical trial in a hospital that has been pre-certified as a Medicare Approved TAVR/TAVI Facility.
CAUTION: It would be highly unlikely for a patient to undergo a valve replacement without having a prior diagnostic cardiac cath.
There are two approaches to transcatheter aortic valve and pulmonary valve replacement: endovascular and transapical.
Transcatheter aortic and pulmonary valve replacement s are typically performed in adult patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and in children with certain congenital heart anomalies, such as pulmonary atresia, where a conduit can be constructed on the outside of the heart bypassing the diseased pulmonary valve. When placed in pediatric patients, these valves will not grow with the patient and must be replaced over time.
There are several types of valve procedures that are better known by their acronyms:
CPT® 2018 introduces two new Category III codes to report TMVI.
TMVR describes repair only, and is reported using 33418 Transcatheter mitral valve repair, percutaneous approach, including transseptal puncture when performed; initial prosthesis and, when appropriate, +33419 Transcatheter mitral valve repair, percutaneous approach, including transseptal puncture when performed; additional prosthesis (es) during same session (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure).
Report TPVI using 33477 Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation, percutaneous approach, including pre-stenting of the valve delivery site, when performed. Example: A patient may have a history of a tetralogy of Fallot repair, and has developed shortness of breath and extreme weakness upon exertion.
03/2020 - The purpose of this change request (CR) is to inform MACs that effective June 21, 2019 , CMS will continue to cover TAVR under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) when the procedure is furnished for the treatment of symptomatic aortic stenosis and according to an FDA approved indication for use with an approved device, in addition to the coverage criteria outlined in the NCD Manual. Effective date: 06/21/2019 Implementation date: 06/12/2020 TN 217 (CR11660)
A. TAVR is covered for the treatment of symptomatic aortic valve stenosis when furnished according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication and when all of the following conditions are met:
Aortic stenosis (AS) is defined as narrowing of the aortic valve opening, resulting in obstruction of blood flow from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta. Progressive calcification of the aortic valve (AoV) is the most common etiology in North America and Europe, while rheumatic fever is the most common etiology in developing countries. ( 1 ) Congenital abnormalities of the AoV, most commonly a bicuspid valve, increase the risk for AS, but AS can also occur in a normal aortic valve. Risk factors for calcification of a congenitally normal valve mirror those for atherosclerotic vascular disease, including advanced age, male gender, smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. ( 1 ) Thus, the pathogenesis of calcific AS is thought to be similar to that of atherosclerosis, i.e., deposition of atherogenic lipids and infiltration of inflammatory cells, followed by progressive calcification.
Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) is a treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis who require intervention, but who are a high or prohibitive risk for open surgery. There is currently one transcatheter aortic valve that is FDA-approved, the Edwards SAPIEN™ valve (Edwards LifeSciences, Irvine, CA).
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a potential alternative treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Many patients with AS are very elderly and/or have multiple medical comorbidities, thus indicating a high-risk, often prohibitive, for surgery. This procedure is being evaluated as an alternative to open surgery for high-risk patients with AS and as an alternative to non-surgical therapy for patients with a prohibitive risk for surgery.
Codes 33361, 33362, 33363, 33364, 33365, 33366 include the work, when performed, of percutaneous access, placing the access sheath, balloon aortic valvuloplasty, advancing the valve delivery system into position, repositioning the valve as needed, deploying the valve, temporary pacemaker insertion for rapid pacing (33210), and closure of the arteriotomy when performed. Codes 33361, 33362, 33363, 33364, 33365, 33366 include open arterial or cardiac approach.
For your example of aortic regurgitation (insufficiency) and aortic stenosis, I would recommend ICD-10 code I35.2 Nonrheumatic aortic (valve) stenosis with insufficiency provided there is no documentation of rheumatic valve disease. You may see the abbreviation of MAVD in your note. This is defined as Mixed Aortic Valve Disease, regurgitation and stenosis combined. Regardless of FDA approval of a new valve, the ICD-10 diagnosis codes would be applied as they always have been.
There is a CPT instruction section in advance of the TAVR CPT codes, 33361-33366, that describes how to use these codes. This procedure requires two surgeons and both surgeons will report the same CPT code with the -62 modifier. From the CPT manual:
Angiography, radiological supervision, and interpretation performed to guide TAVR/TAVI (eg, guiding valve placement, documenting completion of the intervention, assessing the vascular access site for closure) are included in these codes.