Can the surgeon charge for 86999 if he draws the blood for the centrifuge himself? Please read below:
CPT® Assistant November 2005 Volume 15 issue 11
AMA Comment: The instillation of the PLATELETs by the surgeon into the surgical site would not warrant additional CPT code reporting as this is considered an integral part of the total procedure performed; therefore, the instillation is not separately reportable as there is no significant, additional physician work involved. However, code 86999, Unlisted transfusion medicine procedure, should be reported when blood is drawn intraoperatively from the patient and centrifuged to separate the PLATELET-rich from PLATELET-poor PLASMA and the red cells are injected into the operative site."
