Summary & Overview
CPT 0782T: Bronchoscopic Endobronchial Radiofrequency Ablation, Main Bronchus
CPT code 0782T describes a bronchoscopic endobronchial radiofrequency ablation procedure in which a catheter is passed through a bronchoscope to perform circumferential ablation of pulmonary nerves in the main bronchus of one lung. The code captures a targeted, therapeutic airway intervention intended to disrupt autonomic innervation of the bronchus.
This code matters nationally as an example of emerging, image-guided bronchoscopic therapies that raise clinical, coding, and coverage considerations for payers and providers. Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. These payers are referenced to illustrate typical coverage language, prior authorization patterns, and reimbursement approaches for advanced bronchoscopic procedures.
Readers will learn: a concise clinical description and service setting for the code; which major payers appear in payer policy discussions; common billing and administrative considerations related to endobronchial radiofrequency services; and where to find relevant documentation and coding guidance. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable. This summary provides a national, payer-agnostic overview intended to inform coding, clinical documentation, and revenue-cycle stakeholders about the core definition and policy context for CPT code 0782T.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0782T describes a bronchoscopic procedure in which a provider inserts a specialized catheter through a bronchoscope and performs a circumferential radiofrequency ablation in the main bronchus of one lung to destroy pulmonary nerves. The service is a bronchoscopic endobronchial radiofrequency ablation targeting pulmonary autonomic nerves.
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Service type: Bronchoscopic endobronchial radiofrequency ablation
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Typical site of service: Hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgery center with bronchoscopy capability and endobronchial therapeutic equipment
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is a 55–75 year-old with severe, refractory chronic cough or neurogenic bronchial hyperresponsiveness despite optimized medical therapy (inhaled bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, neuromodulators) and prior evaluation by pulmonology. The patient presents for a bronchoscopic pulmonary nerve ablation under moderate sedation or general anesthesia. Pre-procedure workflow includes history and focused physical exam, review of prior imaging (chest CT to exclude contraindications such as bronchial wall disruption or proximal airway tumor), pulmonary function assessment, and informed consent documenting expected benefits and risks. In the operating room or bronchoscopy suite the patient undergoes flexible bronchoscopy; a specialized catheter is introduced through the bronchoscope into the mainstem bronchus on one side and positioned circumferentially. Circumferential radiofrequency energy is applied to ablate peribronchial autonomic nerves. Post-procedure care includes short observation for respiratory compromise, chest radiograph if clinically indicated, instruction on activity restrictions, and follow-up with pulmonology for symptom assessment and pulmonary function testing.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
22 | Increased procedural services | Use when work required is substantially greater than typical for the procedure (document rationale and additional work). |
51 | Multiple procedures | Use when multiple distinct procedures are billed on the same day by the same provider (follow payer bundling rules). |
52 | Reduced services | Use when the procedure is partially reduced or not completed as planned. |
53 | Discontinued procedure | Use when the procedure is terminated due to extenuating circumstances or those that threaten patient well-being. |
55 | Postoperative management only | Use when the physician provides only postoperative care on the global period and another provider performed the procedure. |
62 | Two surgeons | Use when two surgeons from different specialties work together as primary surgeons performing distinct portions. |
66 | Surgical team (multiple specialists) | Use when care is provided by a surgical team; some payers require team modifier documentation. |
73 | Discontinued outpatient hospital/ambulatory surgery center (ASC) before anesthesia/implantation | Use when procedure is discontinued prior to anesthesia or implantation in ASC/hospital outpatient setting. |
78 | Unplanned return to the operating/procedure room by same physician following initial procedure for a related procedure during the postoperative period | Use when an unexpected return to the procedure room is required urgently for a related complication. |
80 | Assistant surgeon | Use when a qualified assistant surgeon performs assistance during the procedure. |
81 | Minimum assistant surgeon | Use when minimal assistant involvement is provided. |
82 | Assistant surgeon when qualified resident not available | Use when an assistant surgeon is required because a qualified resident is unavailable. |
AS | Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery | Use when an advanced practice provider functions as an assistant at surgery and billing requires AS. |
| Taxonomy Code | Specialty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2080P0800X | Pulmonary Disease | Pulmonologists commonly perform bronchoscopic procedures and direct pulmonary nerve interventions. |
| 207L00000X | Thoracic Surgery | Thoracic surgeons may perform bronchoscopic or hybrid airway interventions in operative settings. |
| 207RC0000X | Critical Care Medicine | Intensivists with advanced bronchoscopy skills may participate in complex airway procedures. |
| 207RC0001X | Interventional Pulmonology | Interventional pulmonologists specialize in advanced bronchoscopic therapies including ablation techniques. |
| 207K00000X | Anesthesiology | Anesthesiologists provide sedation or general anesthesia for airway procedures and perioperative management. |
Related Diagnoses
| ICD-10 Code | Description | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|
J98.01 | Acute bronchospasm | Target symptomatology where bronchial nerve modulation may reduce refractory bronchospasm and cough. |
R05 | Cough | Primary presenting symptom for which pulmonary nerve ablation may be considered after conservative therapy. |
J45.909 | Unspecified asthma, uncomplicated | Severe, treatment-refractory asthma symptoms including cough and bronchospasm may prompt advanced bronchoscopic interventions. |
J44.9 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified | Patients with COPD and refractory symptoms may undergo bronchoscopic therapies; careful selection required. |
R06.2 | Wheezing | Symptom associated with airway hyperreactivity; ablation of bronchial nerves may be considered in selected cases. |
Related CPT Codes
| CPT Code | Description | Relationship to This Procedure |
|---|---|---|
31622 | Bronchoscopy, flexible, diagnostic, with bronchoalveolar lavage; without cell count | Performed before or during the session to obtain lavage samples for infection or inflammatory workup. |
31623 | Bronchoscopy, flexible, with transbronchial biopsy(s), single lobe | May be performed in the same session if tissue diagnosis is required, noting potential bleeding risk. |
31626 | Bronchoscopy, flexible, with placement of endobronchial valve(s), including bronchoscopic guidance | Other advanced bronchoscopic therapeutic maneuvers that might be performed in patients with obstructive lung disease. |
31575 | Laryngoscopy, flexible; with diagnostic bronchoscopy and inspection of the larynx and trachea | May be used when additional proximal airway evaluation is required in the same procedural episode. |
94010 | Bronchospasm evaluation (spirometry pre/post bronchodilator) | Not a procedural CPT for OR billing but relevant for pre- and post-procedure pulmonary function assessment in the clinical workflow. |
71045 | Radiologic examination, chest; single view, frontal | Often obtained pre- or post-procedure if clinically indicated to assess for complications such as pneumothorax. |