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Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Toe Repairs:

28290-28299: Know These Terms to Zero In on Proper Bunionectomy Code

Published on Mon Apr 09, 2012

With over 100 named hallux valgus procedures, here's what to look for in the procedure notes. Bunionectomies are the bread and butter for many podiatry practices, but the plethora of terms and procedures that involve the big toe joint bend lots of coders out of shape. Check out our expert answers to these common bunion coding problems to help keep your coding on the straight and narrow. Know your terms: A bunion is an enlargement of bone or tissue around the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the first metatarsal and first toe, explains Arnold Beresh, DPM, CPC, of Peninsula Foot and Ankle Specialists PLC in Hampton, Va. It is often made worse by patients wearing shoes that are too narrow around the toe box and can cause pain and deformity of the toes. Question #1: There are over 100 "named" bunionectomy procedures, and only seven codes for the correction of hallux [...]
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