Orthopedic Coding Alert

If you always turn to 62, 80, or 81, our experts' answer might surprise you. You can save time unraveling a case involving multiple surgeons by verifying each physician's role and treating each surgeon's work as a separate activity. Try your hand at the following scenario to see if your coding lines up with our experts' advice once you consider the nuances between reporting a case as co-surgery, assistant surgery -- or something else. The case: Medical necessity shows that a patient needs both lumbar spinal decompression and fusion, so two surgeons from your group agree to handle the case together. Dr. A performs the decompression; Dr. B (who specializes in fusion procedures) completes the spinal fusion with instrumentation. The physicians were not in the operating room (OR) at the same time, but a physician assistant was present and assisted during both portions of the case. Separate Each Surgeon's Work The correct [...]