Summary & Overview
CPT 3142F: Unspecified Procedure (No Summary Available)
CPT code 3142F is listed without an accompanying clinical summary in the supplied description. As a CPT code, it denotes a discrete procedure or clinical service used in professional medical billing. Nationally, clear definitions for CPT codes support consistent claims processing, provider documentation, and payer adjudication; a missing public summary can create ambiguity for coding teams and payers.
This publication covers coverage and benchmarking context for major national payers: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise explanation of the code's absence of summary information, an outline of implications for billing workflows, and a guide to where to look for authoritative code descriptions and payer policy language.
The report provides: a) a clinical context section describing the need to align documentation with CPT descriptors; b) payer coverage considerations reflecting typical national approaches by the listed payers; and c) next-step reference points for locating CPT code definitions and payer-specific clinical policies. Data elements that were not provided in the input are noted as unavailable. This material is intended for coding managers, revenue cycle staff, and policy analysts seeking clarity on an un-summarized CPT code in national payer contexts.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 3142F represents a billing entry for which no summary was found in the source description. Based on the code designation, the service type and typical site of service are not specified in the provided input. Service type: Data not available in the input. Typical site of service: Data not available in the input.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A typical patient is an adult presenting with chronic or recurrent sinonasal symptoms such as nasal obstruction, purulent nasal drainage, facial pressure, or recurrent acute sinusitis that has not responded to medical therapy (antibiotics, nasal corticosteroids, or saline irrigation). After outpatient evaluation by an otolaryngologist, nasal endoscopy and imaging (CT sinus) confirm obstructive or inflammatory pathology in the paranasal sinuses (e.g., chronic rhinosinusitis with or without nasal polyps). The patient is scheduled for a functional endoscopic sinus procedure under general anesthesia in an ambulatory surgery center or hospital outpatient department. The clinical workflow includes preoperative evaluation, informed consent, operative endoscopic visualization of the nasal cavity and sinuses, targeted removal of diseased tissue or obstruction, hemostasis, and short postoperative observation prior to discharge. Intraoperative documentation includes indication, specific sinuses addressed, techniques used (debridement, polypectomy, ostial enlargement), specimens sent for pathology or culture, estimated blood loss, and any complications. Postoperative care instructions and follow-up visits for debridement and wound care are documented in the medical record.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
25 | Significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service by the same physician on the day of a procedure | Use when a distinct E/M is performed and documented on the same day as the procedure |