CPT code for surgery?

[TheWomanWithin 0]

I know I have seen this listed, but I am clueless when it comes to medical codes.

My new insurer asked me if I knew the - CPT Code for the surgery - specifically LAP BAND for MO.

How do I find this out?Are there different ones for diff states?

Thanks for any information anyone can give me.

I found some info on another thread finally - gastric banding CPT CODE:43770

is this a code that is used from a particular source? Or is there another code they should try?

[TheWomanWithin 0]

wahooooo I found my answer - thank you Dr. Hekier for posting this:

Some potentially big news came out a couple of days ago.

Lap Band now has its own CPT code from the AMA!

As many of you know, the way a physician files for a service performed is by providing a CPT code to the insurance company.

When a new service is 'invented' there is generally a several year lag period until a CPT code is assigned. Until that point the physician needs to use an 'unlisted procedure' code which has been the case until now for Lap Band. This creates problems for both the patient and the physician, since the insurance company can essentially say 'this procedure doesn't officially exist' and will assign any value to it that they wish, or just deny it.

The new code is valid January 1, 2006 I am told. It is 43770.

43770 – Laparoscopy, surgical, gastric restrictive procedure; placement of adjustable gastric band (gastric band and subcutaneous port components).

In our practice we will probably have people who were denied coverage for the Lap Band being 'investigational' or 'experimental' refile with their insurance company January 1st. However, the new CPT code will probably not help those who have an outright exclusion for morbid obesity surgery on their policy