Hands-Free Ultrasound is different than traditional ultrasound in that it doesn’t require constant attendance (direct one-on-one patient contact by the provider) to deliver the service. For this reason, you cannot bill 97035 (a constant attendance modality) for hands-free ultrasound – because constant attendance is not required. The most appropriate CPT code for this service would be 97039 (unlisted modality).
Keep this in mind if you plan on purchasing a hands-free device, or currently use one, as the savings in personnel overhead, may be negated by the fact many payers don’t reimburse unlisted codes such as 97039.
