ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Use different codes, or your ED could be footing the FBR bill. When the ED physician performs foreign body removal (FBR) on a patient's foot, coders won't be able to rely on the soft-tissue FBR codes. What actually constitutes a foot FBR is also a matter of some controversy. Here's the scoop on the foot FBR facts all coders agree on -- and the lowdown on the ones that are still up for debate. Foot Begins Where Talus Ends -For coding purposes the foot ends at the proximal end of the talus; or just below the distal tibia/fibula,- explains Joshua Tepperberg, CPC, EMT-D, ED coding team leader at Caduceus Inc. in New York City. When the claim confirms that the physician removed an FB from below this area, choose a code from the 28190-28193 code set. What qualifies as a foot FBR, however, is a matter of speculation. Incision Necessary? Some [...]