Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Tighten up these pain codes for spotless claims every time. If your practice is like many neurology offices incorrectly reporting facet joint injections, now's the time to fix your errors -- or you could be facing major payback requests. Heads up: 63 percent of facet joint injections allowed in 2006 did not meet Medicare program requirements, resulting in approximately $96 million in improper payments for physician services, according to a September 2008 OIG report. Associated facility claims had an additional $33 million in improper payments. Use 'Destruction' Codes for Proper Nerve Levels Lumbar facet joint nerve neurolytic destruction indications for many payers include intervertebral lumbar disk disorder or degeneration with or without myelopathy, lumbar spondylosis with or without myelopathy, nerve root disorders, lumbar postlaminectomy syndrome, spinal stenosis, lumbago, and congenital anomaly of the spine, said Linda Van Horn, MBA, at a conference of the Society for Pain Practice Management in Phoenix [...]