You Be the Coder:
New, Recurrent HNP Mean Multiple Codes
Published on Wed Jun 17, 2015
Question: Our physician performed surgery due to recurrent HNP at L5-S1 and a new HNP at L4-L5. How should we code this? California Subscriber Answer: You’ll report treatment of the recurrent HNP (herniated nucleus pulposus) at L5-S1 with 63042 (Laminotomy [hemilaminectomy], with decompression of nerve root[s], including partial facetectomy, foraminotomy and/or excision of herniated intervertebral disc, reexploraton, single interspace; lumbar). [...]