Orthopedic Coding Alert
Reader Question:
Casting and Splinting
Published on Fri Mar 01, 2002
Question: I know casting is included in the fracture repair codes, but what about strapping and splinting?
Florida Subscriber
Answer: The Global Service Data 2002 guide of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons notes that the global service package includes "application of initial dressing, orthosis, continuous passive motion, splint or cast, including traction, except where specifically excluded from global package (e.g., 15852, 29000-29799)." Thus, application of the initial cast, splint or strap should not be reported in addition to the fracture treatment code.
Other Articles in this issue of
Orthopedic Coding Alert
- Closed Fractures:
Accurate Coding of Diagnosis, Treatment Essential to Ethical Reimbursement
Closed fractures can present mind-boggling coding challenges, with many different types of treatment available to [...] - Knee Injections, E/M Services:
Diagnosis, Intent and Modifier Determine Coding Possibilities
Orthopedic coders accustomed to billing for therapeutic injection in the knee (a common in-office procedure) [...] - You Be the Coder:
Dislocated Hip Prosthesis
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Simplify Coding of Starred Procedures with E/M Services
Orthopedists may be familiar with "starred" procedures, so named because the CPT manual attaches an [...] - News Brief:
CCI Recalls Arthroscopy Modifier Indicator Edit
A coding edit in Correct Coding Initiative version 8.0 (CCI 8.0), in effect Jan. 1-March [...] - Reader Question:
Tibial Stripping
Question: How should I code for a posteromedial tibial periosteal stripping that I did in [...] - Reader Question:
Rotator Cuff Tear
Question: Our surgeon reports that he did an open lateral deltoid splitting approach for a [...] - Reader Question:
Bankart and SLAP Lesions
Question: How should I code repair of a Bankart lesion and a SLAP lesion?
Texas [...] - Reader Question:
Modifier and E/M Visits
Question: My physician is adding modifier -57 to all E/M visits where the decision for [...] - Reader Question:
Scar Revision
Question: How should I code a scar revision of the forearm during which the surgeon [...] - Reader Question:
Casting and Splinting
Question: I know casting is included in the fracture repair codes, but what about strapping [...] - Reader Question:
One Incision
Question: Our surgeon performed tenosynovectomy of flexor hallucis longus, tenosynovectomy of flexor digitorum longus and [...]
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