Automated World Health
Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for External Electrocardiographic Recording] (L28832)
Contractor Information
Contractor Name First Coast Service Options, Inc.
Contractor Number 09101
Contractor Type MAC - Part A
LCD Information
Document Information
LCD ID Number L28832
LCD Title External Electrocardiographic Recording]
Primary Geographic Jurisdiction opens in new window Florida
Contractor's Determination Number A93224
Oversight Region Region IV
AMA CPT/ADA CDT Copyright Statement
CPT only copyright 2002-2011 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
Applicable FARS/DFARS Apply to Government Use. Fee schedules, relative value units, conversion factors and/or related components are not assigned by the AMA, are not part of CPT, and the AMA is not recommending their use. The AMA does not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical services. The AMA assumes no liability for data contained or not contained herein. The Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (Code) is published in Current Dental Terminology (CDT). Copyright © American Dental Association. All rights reserved. CDT and CDT-2010 are trademarks of the American Dental Association.
Original Determination Effective Date
For services performed on or after 02/16/2009
Original Determination Ending Date ANTICIPATED 10/08/2012
Revision Effective Date
For services performed on or after 10/01/2011 Revision Ending Date
CMS National Coverage Policy
Language quoted from CMS National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) and coverage provisions in interpretive manuals are italicized throughout the Local Coverage Determination (LCD). NCDs and coverage provisions in interpretive manuals are not subject to the LCD Review Process (42 CFR 405.860[b] and 42 CFR 426 [Subpart D]). In addition, an administrative law judge may not review an NCD. See §1869(f)(1)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act.
Unless otherwise specified, italicized text represents quotation from one or more of the following CMS sources: CMS Manual System, Pub 100-03, Medicare National Coverage, Chapter 1, Section 20.15
Indications and Limitations of Coverage and/or Medical Necessity
Electrocardiographic monitoring can be performed on ambulatory patients over a set period of time (usually twenty four hours). The monitoring device (holter monitor) allows the patient to resume their normal lifestyle and activities while recording episodes of arrhythmia. This gives the physician documented episodes of arrhythmias or absence of arrhythmias to correlate with the patient's symptoms.
Medicare will consider twenty-four hour electrocardiographic monitoring to be medically necessary in any of the following circumstances (see Covered ICD-9 Codes):
The patient complains of palpitations, and physical examination and standard EKG have not satisfactorily explained the patient's complaints.
The patient has experienced an unexplained syncopal episode or the patient has experienced a transient episode of cerebral ischemia which is felt to possibly be secondary to a cardiac rhythm disturbance.
The patient has been found to have a significant cardiac arrhythmia or conduction disorder (see list below) and holter monitoring is necessary as part of the evaluation and management of the patient:
Complete Heart Block Second Degree AV Block
New Left Bundle Branch Block New Right Bundle Branch Block Bifasicular Block
Paroxysmal SVT Paroxysmal VT Atrial Fib/Flutter
Ventricular Fib/Flutter Cardiac Arrest
SA Node Dysfunction Frequent PAC's Frequent PVC's
Wandering Atrial Pacemaker Unspecified Cardiac Arrhythmia
The patient has a heart condition (see list below) associated with a high incidence of serious cardiac arrhythmia and/or myocardial ischemia, and holter monitoring is being done as part of the evaluation and management of the patient:
Dressler's Syndrome
History of Myocardial Infarction Angina Pectoris
Prinzmetals's Angina Aneurysm of Heart Wall
Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease Pericarditis
Mitral Valve Disease
Cardiomyopathy Anomalus AV Excitation Cardiomegaly
Post Heart Surgery Prolonged QT Interval
The patient has a cardiac arrhythmia or other cardiac condition and a cardiac medication which affects the electrical conduction system of the heart has been prescribed, and holter monitoring is necessary to evaluate the effect of the cardiac medication on the patient's cardiac rhythm and/or conduction system.
The patient has a pacemaker and clinical findings (history or physical examination) suggest possible pacemaker malfunction.
Claims submitted for holter studies performed at unusually frequent intervals will be reviewed by Medicare to make certain that the services were medically reasonable and necessary.
Coding Information
Bill Type Codes:
Contractors may specify Bill Types to help providers identify those Bill Types typically used to report this service. Absence of a Bill Type does not guarantee that the policy does not apply to that Bill Type. Complete absence of all Bill Types indicates that coverage is not influenced by Bill Type and the policy should be assumed to apply equally to all claims.
012x Hospital Inpatient (Medicare Part B only) 013x Hospital Outpatient
014x Hospital - Laboratory Services Provided to Non-patients 021x Skilled Nursing - Inpatient (Including Medicare Part A) 022x Skilled Nursing - Inpatient (Medicare Part B only) 023x Skilled Nursing - Outpatient
075x Clinic - Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF) 085x Critical Access Hospital
Revenue Codes:
Contractors may specify Revenue Codes to help providers identify those Revenue Codes typically used to report this service. In most instances Revenue Codes are purely advisory; unless specified in the policy services reported under other Revenue Codes are equally subject to this coverage determination. Complete absence of all Revenue Codes indicates that coverage is not influenced by Revenue Code and the policy should be assumed to apply equally to all Revenue Codes.
0730 EKG/ECG (Electrocardiogram) - General Classification 0731 EKG/ECG (Electrocardiogram) - Holter Monitor
CPT/HCPCS Codes
EXTERNAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING UP TO 48 HOURS BY CONTINUOUS RHYTHM
93224 RECORDING AND STORAGE; INCLUDES RECORDING, SCANNING ANALYSIS WITH REPORT, PHYSICIAN REVIEW AND INTERPRETATION
93225 EXTERNAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING UP TO 48 HOURS BY CONTINUOUS RHYTHM RECORDING AND STORAGE; RECORDING (INCLUDES CONNECTION, RECORDING, AND DISCONNECTION)
93226 EXTERNAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING UP TO 48 HOURS BY CONTINUOUS RHYTHM RECORDING AND STORAGE; SCANNING ANALYSIS WITH REPORT
93227 EXTERNAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC RECORDING UP TO 48 HOURS BY CONTINUOUS RHYTHM RECORDING AND STORAGE; PHYSICIAN REVIEW AND INTERPRETATION
ICD-9 Codes that Support Medical Necessity
410.00 - 410.92 ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION OF ANTEROLATERAL WALL EPISODE OF CARE UNSPECIFIED - ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION OF UNSPECIFIED SITE SUBSEQUENT EPISODE OF CARE
411.0 - 411.89 POSTMYOCARDIAL INFARCTION SYNDROME - OTHER ACUTE AND SUBACUTE FORMS OF ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE OTHER
412 OLD MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
413.0 - 413.9 ANGINA DECUBITUS - OTHER AND UNSPECIFIED ANGINA PECTORIS
414.1 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF UNSPECIFIED TYPE OF VESSEL NATIVE OR GRAFT
414.2 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF NATIVE CORONARY ARTERY
414.3 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF AUTOLOGOUS VEIN BYPASS GRAFT
414.4 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF NONAUTOLOGOUS BIOLOGICAL BYPASS GRAFT
414.6 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF NATIVE CORONARY ARTERY OF TRANSPLANTED HEART
414.7 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS OF BYPASS GRAFT (ARTERY) (VEIN) OF TRANSPLANTED HEART
414.10 ANEURYSM OF HEART (WALL)
414.11 ANEURYSM OF CORONARY VESSELS
414.19 OTHER ANEURYSM OF HEART
414.4 CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS DUE TO CALCIFIED CORONARY LESION
414.8 OTHER SPECIFIED FORMS OF CHRONIC ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE
414.9 CHRONIC ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE UNSPECIFIED
423.1 ADHESIVE PERICARDITIS
423.2 CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS
424.0 MITRAL VALVE DISORDERS
425.0 - 425.9 ENDOMYOCARDIAL FIBROSIS - SECONDARY CARDIOMYOPATHY UNSPECIFIED
426.0 ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK COMPLETE
426.12 MOBITZ (TYPE) II ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK
426.13 OTHER SECOND DEGREE ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK
426.2 LEFT BUNDLE BRANCH HEMIBLOCK
426.4 RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK
426.53 OTHER BILATERAL BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK
426.7 ANOMALOUS ATRIOVENTRICULAR EXCITATION
426.82 LONG QT SYNDROME
426.9 CONDUCTION DISORDER UNSPECIFIED
427.1 PAROXYSMAL SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA
427.2 PAROXYSMAL VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA
427.31 - 427.32 ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - ATRIAL FLUTTER
427.41 - 427.42 VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION - VENTRICULAR FLUTTER
427.5 CARDIAC ARREST
427.61 SUPRAVENTRICULAR PREMATURE BEATS
427.69 OTHER PREMATURE BEATS
427.81 - 427.89 SINOATRIAL NODE DYSFUNCTION - OTHER SPECIFIED CARDIAC DYSRHYTHMIAS
427.9 CARDIAC DYSRHYTHMIA UNSPECIFIED
429.3 CARDIOMEGALY
429.4 FUNCTIONAL DISTURBANCES FOLLOWING CARDIAC SURGERY
429.9 HEART DISEASE UNSPECIFIED
780.2 SYNCOPE AND COLLAPSE
785.1 PALPITATIONS
E942.0* CARDIAC RHYTHM REGULATORS CAUSING ADVERSE EFFECTS IN THERAPEUTIC USE
E942.1* CARDIOTONIC GLYCOSIDES AND DRUGS OF SIMILAR ACTION CAUSING ADVERSE EFFECTS IN THERAPEUTIC USE
V45.00* UNSPECIFIED CARDIAC DEVICE IN SITU
V45.01* CARDIAC PACEMAKER IN SITU
V45.02* AUTOMATIC IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC DEFIBRILLATOR IN SITU V45.09* OTHER SPECIFIED CARDIAC DEVICE IN SITU
V67.51 FOLLOW-UP EXAMINATION FOLLOWING COMPLETED TREATMENT WITH HIGH-RISK MEDICATION NOT ELSEWHERE CLASSIFIED
* According to the ICD-9-CM book, diagnosis codes E942.0, E942.1, V45.00, V45.01, V45.02, V45.09 are secondary diagnosis codes and should not be billed as the primary diagnosis.
Diagnoses that Support Medical Necessity N/A
ICD-9 Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity N/A
ICD-9 Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity Asterisk Explanation
Diagnoses that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity N/A
General Information
Documentations Requirements
Medical record documentation maintained by the ordering/referring physician must clearly indicate the medical necessity of holter monitor studies covered by the Medicare program. Also, the results of holter studies covered by the Medicare program must be included in the patient's medical record.
If the provider of holter studies is other than the ordering/referring physician, the provider of the service must maintain hard copy documentation of test results and interpretation along with copies of the ordering/referring physician's order for the study. When ordering holter studies from an independent physiological lab or other
provider, the ordering/referring physician must state the reason for the holter study in his order for the test.
Appendices
Utilization Guidelines It is expected that these services would be performed as indicated by current medical literature and/or standards of practice. When services are performed in excess of established parameters, they
may be subject to review for medical necessity.
Sources of Information and Basis for Decision
Abbott, A. (2005). Diagnostic Approach to Palpitations. American Family Physician 71(4).
Arend, W., Armitage, J., Drazen, J., Eds, et al (2004). Goldman: Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22nd ed. W.B. Saunders Company.
Sivaskumaran, S., Krahn, A., et al (2003). A prospective randomized comparison of loop recorders versus Holter monitors in patients with syncope or presyncope. American Journal of Medicine 115 (1).
Zipes, D., Libby, P., et al (2005). Braunwald’s Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. Elsevier.
Advisory Committee Meeting Notes This policy does not reflect the sole opinion of the contractor or contractor medical director. Although the final decision rests with the contractor, this policy was developed in cooperation
with advisory groups, which includes representatives from numerous societies.
Start Date of Comment Period
End Date of Comment Period
Start Date of Notice Period 01/01/2011
Revision History Number 2
Revision History Explanation Revision Number: 2 Start Date of Comment Period:N/A
Start Date of Notice Period:10/01/2011 Revised Effective Date:10/01/2011
LCR A2011-078
September 2011 Connection
Explanation of Revision: Annual 2012 ICD-9-CM Update. Added diagnosis code 414.4. The effective date of this revision is based on date of service.
Revision Number:1
Start Date of Comment Period:N/A Start Date of Notice Period:01/01/2011 Revision Effective Date 01/01/2011
LCR A2011-009
December 2010 Bulletin
Explanation of Revision: Annual 2011 HCPCS Update. Descriptor revised for CPT codes 93224, 93225, 93226, and 93227. Deleted CPT codes 93230, 93231, 93232, 93233, 93235, 93236, and 93237. LCD title changed to ‘External Electrocardiographic Recording’. The effective date of this revision is based on date of service.
Revision Number:Original
Start Date of Comment Period:N/A Start Date of Notice Period:12/04/2008 Revised Effective Date:02/16/2009
LCR A2009-
December 2008 Bulletin
This LCD consolidates and replaces all previous policies and publications on this subject by the fiscal intermediary predecessors of First Coast Service Options, Inc. (COSVI and FCSO).
For Florida (00090) this LCD (L28832) replaces LCD L1127 as the policy in notice. This document (L28832) is effective on 02/16/2009.
8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 12 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 13 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 14 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 21 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 22 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 23 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 75 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Bill Type Code 85 was changed
8/1/2010 - The description for Revenue code 0730 was changed 8/1/2010 - The description for Revenue code 0731 was changed
11/21/2010 - For the following CPT/HCPCS codes either the short description and/or the long description was changed. Depending on which description is used in this LCD, there may not be any change in how the code displays in the document:
93224 descriptor was changed in Group 1 93225 descriptor was changed in Group 1 93226 descriptor was changed in Group 1 93227 descriptor was changed in Group 1
11/21/2010 - The following CPT/HCPCS codes were deleted: 93230 was deleted from Group 1
93231 was deleted from Group 1
93232 was deleted from Group 1
93233 was deleted from Group 1
93235 was deleted from Group 1
93236 was deleted from Group 1
93237 was deleted from Group 1
08/27/2011 - This policy was updated by the ICD-9 2011-2012 Annual Update.
Reason for Change
Related Documents
This LCD has no Related Documents.
LCD Attachments
Coding guidelines effective 01/01/2011
All Versions
Updated on 09/14/2011 with effective dates 10/01/2011 - N/A Updated on 12/17/2010 with effective dates 01/01/2011 - 09/30/2011 Updated on 08/01/2010 with effective dates 02/16/2009 - N/A Updated on 08/01/2010 with effective dates 02/16/2009 - N/A Updated on 11/29/2008 with effective dates 02/16/2009 - N/A