Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Reader Question:

Zero in on This Bunionectomy Solution

Question: The podiatrist treated a bunion on the side of the patient’s foot. He fused the joint between the patient’s first metatarsal bone and the medial cuneiform bone. Which CPT® code should we report for this procedure?

Pennsylvania Subscriber

Answer: You would report 28297 (Correction, hallux valgus (bunionectomy), with sesamoidectomy, when performed; with first metatarsal and medial cuneiform joint arthrodesis, any method) for this procedure.

Bunion defined: A bunion, also known as hallux valgus, is a deformity where the first toe point towards the second toe, which causes the foot to bump out to the side at the base of the first toe.