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Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Reader Questions:

Pick From 2 Choices When Treating Plantar Nerve Lesions

Published on Sun Jun 20, 2010

Question: A patient, who experiences pain, numbness, and a burning feeling in her in her foot, presents with Morton's neuroma. The podiatrist administered a steroid injection for temporary relief. I'm not sure what CPT to report. Could you help?New Mexico SubscriberAnswer: When your podiatrist treats a condition affecting plantar common digital nerves -- in this case, Morton's neuroma (355.6, Lesion of plantar nerve) -- you should use 64455 or64632. While 64455 is just your steroid injection for temporary relief of Morton's neuroma, 64632 represents a more invasive treatment option for chronic pain: the nerve root that produces the chronic pain is destroyed by chemical, thermal, electrical, or radiofrequency techniques while leaving sensation intact. Which of the two codes should you use? It depends on your podiatrist's treatment plan. In the scenario given, your podiatrist injects a steroid or anesthetic agent for pain relief, so you should report 64455. If she takes treatment [...]
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