Advanced Search

Neurosurgery Coding Alert

You be the coder:

Correctly code 2 spinal plates

Published on Wed Oct 21, 2009

Question: Our neurosurgeon placed one plate at C3-5 and a second plate at C6-7. How do we code this procedure? Alabama Subscriber Answer: As long as your surgeon documents a healthy interspace between the areas, you can bill the plate placements as two separate procedures: • +22845 -- Anterior instrumentation; 2 to 3 vertebral segments (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure) • +22845-59 -- ... Distinct procedural service. No primary code: Although +22845 is considered to be an add-on code, you can report it twice, with one  appended by modifier 59.According to CPT Assistant (November 2007), "Anterior instrumentation codes 22845-22847 may be reported separately with modifier 59 appended when the procedure involves the work of putting two separate plates in the spine at different locations."
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Neurosurgery Coding Alert

View All