Orthopedic Coding Alert
Pain Catheter
Question: How should we code for the insertion of a pain catheter? Because the catheters are not intravenous or arterial implantation devices, we have been using 64415* (Injection, anesthetic agent; brachial plexus). Florida Subscriber Answer: There are two items in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) guidelines that indicate you should not report a separate code for inserting a pain catheter. Services that are in the global service package in AAOS' Complete Global Service Data for Orthopedic Surgery include the following: Based on this information, inserting a pain catheter for pain medication infiltration at the operative site is included in the global surgery package, and you should not attempt to charge separately for this service.
Orthopedic Coding Alert
- Understand the Building Blocks of Spinal Reconstruction Surgery Coding
" When you comprehend the large number and complexity of terms associated with spinal anatomy, [...] - Stay Alert to Opportunities to Code for Conscious Sedation
Orthopedists and their coders often ask about the legitimacy of billing for conscious sedation when [...] - The Anatomy of the Spine
The human spine is divided into three major sections: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. The cervical [...] - You Be the Coder:
Status Code Issue
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Modifier of the Month:
Use -32 for Mandated Services
Modifier -32 (Mandated services) describes procedures or services required by a third-party payer, governmental or [...] - Reader Question:
Previous Hip Procedure
Question: The patient had an acetabuloplasty with resection of the femoral head. While still in [...] - Reader Question:
Open Reduction
Question: Our surgeon spent 10-15 minutes on a patient, attempting a closed reduction with percutaneous [...] - Reader Question:
Pain Catheter
Question: How should we code for the insertion of a pain catheter? Because the catheters [...] - Reader Question:
Perilunate Dislocation
Question: The physician performed an open reduction and pinning of a perilunate dislocation. What is [...] - Reader Question:
Consultations
Question: I've been submitting 99241-99245 when one of my surgeons does a consultation in the [...] - Correction:
The May 2002 "Modifier of the Month" column regarding modifier -77 should have stated that [...]
