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Primary Care Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Coding Doesn't Change When Unna Boot Does

Published on Tue May 26, 2009

Question: An established patient with a diagnosis of superficial thrombrophlebitis of the lower left leg reports to the FP for Unna boot fitting. The FP places the Unna boot on the patient, and directs her to return in four days for a change of dressing. Four days later, the patient returns and a licensed nonphysician practitioner (NPP) changes the dressing and sends the patient home. How should I code these encounters? Is the second visit codeable, considering it happened only four days after the initial fitting? Alabama Subscriber Answer: You should code both visits with the Unnaboot code; on the claim, report the following: " 29580 (Strapping; Unna boot) for the initial fitting " modifier LT (Left side) appended to 29580 to show which leg the FP treats " 29580-LT for the change of dressing " 451.0 (Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis; of superficial vessels of lower extremities) appended to both 29580 [...]
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