CPT 76140 Can PHYSICIAN BILL for X-ray Review?

Let's decribe this code: CPT 76140 Consultation on x-ray examination made elsewhere, written report. (2D reformatting is no longer separately reported. To report 3D rendering, see 76376, 76377)

So the question is, can a Provider bill for X-ray review using CPT Code 76140?

Sharing to you coding clarification here. (Source are from CPT Assistant as published by the AMA). CPT is a trademark and owned by the American Medical Association.

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CPT Assistant October 1997
Using CPT Code 76140
76140 Consultation on x-ray examination made elsewhere, written report. You would use this code when a physician's opinion or advice regarding a specific film is requested by another physician and upon examination of the film, the consulting physician renders his or her consultation (ie, or his/her opinion or advice) to the requesting physician in the form of a written report.

If a patient presents to an office for a new patient visit and brings to the physician his or her medical records, including x-rays, you should not report code 76140. Although the x-rays may have been taken elsewhere, the physician does not perform a consultation as intended by code 76140. Rather, the review or re-read of the x-rays would be considered part of the face-to-face E/M service provided to the patient. Again, the E/M codes include work done before, during, or after the E/M visit. Review of x-rays is part of the E/M service. Remember, 76140 represents a consultation, in which a physician only renders an opinion or gives advice regarding the film in the form of a written report. In general, when reporting 76140, the physician is not concurrently providing an E/M face-to-face service to the patient.

CPT Assistant Summer 1991
CPT 76140 Consultation on X-ray Examination Made Elsewhere.

CPT code 76140 Consultation on x-ray examination made elsewhere, written report is intended to be used when, for example, Doctor "A" from Sunnydale Hospital sends a radiograph taken at Sunnydale Hospital to Doctor "B" at Goodhope Hospital. Doctor "A" asks Doctor "B" to offer his opinion on the radiograph. Doctor "B" writes a formal report on his interpretation of the radiograph and sends a copy of this report to Doctor "K."

This code is not intended to be used by physicians within the same institution to reread radiographs taken at that institution. Levels of Service (limited, intermediate, extended, comprehensive) include the "evaluation of appropriate diagnostic tests" which may necessitate the attending physician to personally review the radiographs taken on his patient.