Radiology Coding Alert

A new NCD spells trouble for certain guidance services, too. Stop expecting Medicare to cough up payment for thermal intradiscal procedures or the guidance for them. Here's why: On Dec. 8, CMS issued a national coverage determination (NCD) stating Medicare does not cover these thermal intradiscal procedures services. The NCD instructs contractors to deny claims for thermal intradiscal procedures when billed using any of these codes: 22526-22527 (Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty, unilateral or bilateral including fluoroscopic guidance ...) and 0062T-0063T (Percutaneous intradiscal annuloplasty,-any method except electrothermal, unilateral or bilateral including fluoroscopic guidance ...). Contractors also must deny claims for the following codes when the narrative identifies the service provided as a thermal intradiscal procedure: • 62287 -- Decompression procedure, percutaneous, of nucleus pulposus of intervertebral disc, any method, single or multiple levels, lumbar (e.g., manual or automated percutaneous discectomy, percutaneous laser discectomy) • 22899 -- Unlisted procedure, spine • 64999 -- Unlisted procedure, [...]