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. 1992 Winter;14(2):135–149.

Table 4. Forty most frequently provided hospital outpatient department procedures, ranked by HCPCS code: 1987.

HCPCS code and description Number of claims Percent of all claims1 Average charge2 Percent of all charges3
Surgery
45330 Sigmoidoscopy, flexible fiberoptic diagnostic 4,547 0.97 266.79 1.60
45378 Colonoscopy, fiberoptic 2,382 0.51 292.95 0.92
66984 Extracapsular cataract removal with insertion of intraocular lens prosthesis (one-stage procedure) 4,601 0.98 1,691.46 10.24
Radiology
70450 Computerized axial tomography, head or brain 2,424 0.52 319.06 1.02
70470 Computerized axial tomography, head or brain without contrast material, followed 5,807 1.24 420.26 3.21
71020 Radiologic examination, chest, two views, frontal and lateral 19,382 4.12 56.10 1.43
74160 Computerized axial tomography, abdomen with contrast material(s) 3,526 0.75 436.74 2.03
74240 Radiologic examination, gastrointestinal tract 4,651 0.99 111.16 0.68
74270 Radiologic examination, colon barium enema 7,873 1.68 115.42 1.20
74280 Radiologic examination, colon air contrast with specific high-density barium 4,217 0.90 144.71 0.80
74400 Urography (pyelography), intravenous 2,759 0.59 133.64 0.49
76091 Mammography bilateral 23,157 4.93 74.86 2.28
76700 Echography, abdominal, b-scan and/or real-time with image documentation 3,463 0.74 144.65 0.66
77405 Daily megavoltage treatment management intermediate 2,664 0.57 556.86 1.95
77410 Daily megavoltage treatment management complex 2,494 0.53 568.99 1.87
78306 Bone imaging whole body 6,247 1.33 268.51 2.21
Laboratory-pathology
80002 Automated multichannel test 1 or 2 clinical chemistry test(s) 3,574 0.76 53.45 0.25
80019 Automated multichannel test 19 or more clinical chemistry tests 3,643 0.78 60.59 0.29
81000 Urinalysis routine (Ph, specific gravity, protein) 8,000 1.70 71.71 0.75
82947 Glucose except urine (e.g., blood, spinal fluid, joint fluid) 8,325 1.77 26.53 0.29
84132 Potassium blood 2,410 0.51 31.00 0.10
85022 Blood count hemogram, automated, and manual differential 4,590 0.98 118.97 0.72
85028 Blood count 3,079 0.66 139.69 0.57
85610 Prothrombin time 9,174 1.95 17.76 0.21
88150 Cytopathology, smears, cervical or vaginal (e.g., Papanicolaou), up to three smears 2,839 0.60 20.73 0.08
88304 Surgical pathology, gross and microscopic examination of presumptively abnormal tissue(s) 4,254 0.91 85.47 0.48
Medicine
90040 Office medical service, established patient brief service 6,308 1.34 51.18 0.42
90050 Office medical service, established patient limited service 15,664 3.33 71.47 1.47
90060 Office medical service, established patient intermediate service 13,141 2.80 80.00 1.38
90070 Office medical service, established patient extended service 2,594 0.55 93.94 0.32
90500 Emergency department service, new patient minimal service 2,746 0.58 42.78 0.15
90505 Emergency department service, new patient brief service 8,535 1.82 47.52 0.53
90510 Emergency department service, new patient limited service 13,200 2.81 57.09 0.99
90515 Emergency department service, new patient intermediate service 7,755 1.65 74.54 0.76
90540 Emergency department service, established patient brief service 3,265 0.69 36.89 0.16
90550 Emergency department service, established patient limited service 5,012 1.07 43.16 0.28
90560 Emergency department service, established patient intermediate service 4,417 0.94 45.75 0.27
93010 Electrocardiogram, routine with at least 12 leads interpretation and report only 4,512 0.96 88.95 0.53
93018 Cardiovascular stress test using maximal or submaximal treadmill or bicycle exercise 3,134 0.67 180.33 0.74
93870 Non-invasive studies of carotid arteries, imaging (e.g., flow imaging by ultrasonic arteriography, high resolution) 3,371 0.72 227.34 1.01
1

These 40 procedures account for 52 percent of all claims.

2

All averages are claims-weighted.

3

These 40 procedures account for 45 percent of all charges.

NOTE: HCPCS is Health Care Financing Administration Common Procedure Coding System.

SOURCES: Health Care Financing Administration: Hospital Outpatient Bill file and Part B Medicare Annual Data file, both 1987; data development by the Urban Institute.