Find information on lung cancer screening, including guidelines for low-dose CT scans (LDCT), eligibility criteria, and CPT codes for billing and reimbursement. Learn about lung cancer diagnosis, staging, management, and the importance of early detection through appropriate screening protocols. This resource covers relevant healthcare documentation, medical coding best practices, and clinical terminology related to lung cancer screening for physicians, coders, and other healthcare professionals.
Also known as
Encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of lung
Screening for lung cancer.
Abnormal findings on diagnostic imaging of lung
Abnormal results found during lung imaging tests.
Personal history of malignant neoplasm of lung
Patient has a history of lung cancer.
Encounter for screening for other malignant neoplasms
Screening for various cancers, including potential lung.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the encounter for lung cancer screening?
Yes
Meets all LCS criteria (age, smoking hx, etc.)?
No
Do not code Z12.11 or Z12.19. Code the reason for the encounter.
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Lung Cancer Screening |
| Suspected Lung Cancer |
| Lung Nodule |
Incorrect coding for low dose CT scan (G0297) instead of diagnostic CT. Impacts reimbursement and data accuracy for lung cancer screening.
Missing or insufficient documentation of patient eligibility criteria (age, smoking history) for lung cancer screening. Audit and compliance risk.
Lack of documented evidence of shared decision making regarding benefits and risks of lung cancer screening. Compliance and medical necessity issues.
Patient presents for lung cancer screening. Risk factors for lung cancer were assessed, including age, smoking history (pack-years), family history of lung cancer, exposure to radon or asbestos, and history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient meets the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) criteria for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening: age 50-80 years, current smoker or former smoker who quit within the past 15 years, and a smoking history of at least 20 pack-years. Shared decision-making regarding the benefits and risks of LDCT lung cancer screening, including false positives, incidental findings, and radiation exposure, was conducted. Informed consent for lung cancer screening was obtained. Order placed for low-dose CT scan of the chest for lung cancer screening. Patient education provided regarding smoking cessation resources and importance of follow-up. Patient instructed to schedule LDCT scan and return for follow-up to discuss results. ICD-10 code Z12.2 (Encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of lung) is appropriate for this visit. CPT codes for counseling and shared decision-making (e.g., 99401-99404) may be appropriate depending on the time spent. The appropriate CPT code for the LDCT scan is 71271 (Computed tomography, thorax; without contrast material). Follow-up scheduled in [ timeframe ].