Eli's Rehab Report
Append -51 to Block With SI Injection
PDF
Question: Our physiatrist administered a caudal epidural block and a left sacroiliac (SI) joint injection to a patient experiencing left-leg hip pain with radiculopathy. How should we code for both services? Arizona Subscriber Answer: You should report 27096 (Injection procedure for sacroiliac joint, arthrography and/or anesthetic/steroid) for the SI injection and 62311-51 (Injection, single [not via indwelling catheter], not including neurolytic substances, with or without contrast [for either localization or epidurography], of diagnostic or therapeutic substance[s] [including anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution], epidural or subarachnoid; lumbar, sacral [caudal]; Multiple procedures) for the block. The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) does not prohibit you from reporting these two codes together, so modifier -59 (Distinct procedural service) is therefore not necessary.
Eli's Rehab Report
- Multiple Diagnoses, High Risk May Increase Inpatient Code Level
According to CMS data, physiatrists report 99231 more than any other CPT code, which indicates [...] - You Be the Coder:
Use V67.09 for Annual Visit
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...] - Know CMS Guidelines for Subsequent Hospital Care
The following are CMS'documentation guidelines for the three subsequent hospital care codes:
99231 Subsequent hospital [...] - High-Risk Patients May Warrant 99233
The following scenarios illustrate typical examples of when physiatrists use subsequent hospital care codes: Scenario [...] - Bier Block Coding Can Be Painless
Although you should choose 01995 when administering Bier blocks for surgical anesthesia, some payers do [...] - Clarification:
Coding Late Effects of CVA
The February 2003 article "Use Just One Diagnosis Code for Late Effects of Stroke" advised [...] - Reader Question:
Append -51 to Block With SI Injection
Question: Our physiatrist administered a caudal epidural block and a left sacroiliac (SI) joint injection [...] - Reader Question:
Use 64622 for Nerve Destruction
Question: Our physiatrist performed a radiofrequency thermal coagulation (RFTC) to disable the nerves in a [...] - Reader Question:
Mental Assessment Differs From MME
Question: One of our physiatrists performed a mental assessment on a patient who exhibited symptoms [...] - Reader Question:
Dont Code Both Injection and Nurse Visit
Question: When our nurses administer injections, we usually report the codes for injection administration, the [...] - Reader Question:
Report New MNT Codes for Changes
Question: A dietitian comes to our rehab facility once a week to meet with some [...] - Reader Question:
Medicare Will Deny Prolotherapy
Question: We have been performing an increasing number of prolotherapy injections in our practice, but [...] - Reader Question:
Report 99271 Series for Second Opinions
Question: One of my former patients, whom I havent seen in more than a year, [...]