3 questions point you to correct joint aftercare codes
Published on Mon Nov 02, 2009
Shift gears to different V codes after the global period. You know to report V codes for your patients after they have total joint replacement, but selecting the best codes for aftercare -- and knowing when to stop using them -- can be tricky. Snag the correct V code combination every time when you're armed with these answers. Is the Patient Under Current Treatment? When you're coding for care that's still part of the surgical package, you'll need to employ two V codes. Hip and knee joint replacement surgeries have a 90-day global period. The patient will visit your office several times during that period -- and beyond -- so be sure to code these encounters correctly. Two diagnosis code families apply to these patients during the global period: • V54.81 -- Aftercare following joint replacement • V43.6x -- Organ or tissue replaced by other means; joint. "We use the V codes for hips and knees [...]
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