Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question:A patient presented in the emergency department with partial traumatic amputation of his right distal phalanx following a lawn-mower accident, and our podiatrist, who was on call, determined that the end of the toe could not be replanted. The podiatrist then used a bone rongeur instrument to debride and round the bone to close the wound over it. Should I report a debridement code or an amputation code? If I should report an amputation code, what will cover a distal phalanx amputation? Virginia SubscriberAnswer: You should not report an amputation code for this procedure. Most of the amputation occurred before the patient arrived at the hospital, and the physician just cleaned up the amputation. This scenario calls for a code for debridement and simple closure instead. Report the debridement as 11044 (Debridement, bone [includes epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous tissue, muscle and/or fascia, if performed]; first 20 sq cm or less) because the [...]