Update on Denial of CPT Codes Billed With Bariatric Surgery

Date Issued: 3/25/2014

Repair of an asymptomatic or incidentally identified hiatal hernia (CPT codes 43280, 43281, 43282, 43289, 43499, or 43659) will be denied when billed with bariatric surgery (CPT codes 43770-43775, 43842-43848, 43644, 43645, 43886, 43887 or 43888). Modifier 59 will not override the denial, because hiatal hernia repair is considered an integral part of bariatric surgery.