Unlisted Procedures:
Reporting Unlisted Codes Doesn't Have to Be Painful
Published on Sat Aug 21, 2010
Follow the experts' guidance to getting these claims reimbursed.CPT doesn't always match up with what your orthopedist does, and there are a few easy steps you can take to show carriers what to do with your unlisted- procedure claims.CPT includes unlisted-procedure codes to allow you to report procedures for which there is no specific CPT descriptor available. Payment for such claims, however, is not automatic. Your orthopedic surgeon must make a careful effort to document the procedure, and the information you include with your claim can make all the difference.Don't ApproximateThe only time you should call on an unlisted procedure code (for example, 27599, Unlisted procedure, femur or knee; or 29999, Unlisted procedure, arthroscopy) is when no CPT code properly describes the procedure your physician performs.By the same token, however, you shouldn't select a code that is "close enough" in place of an unlisted- procedure code.For instance: If the surgeon [...]
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