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Radiology Coding Alert

SI Injections:

27096 Adds Imaging, Subtracts RVUs in 2012

Published on Fri Jan 06, 2012

This code's unilateral/bilateral status is key to proper payment. Your days of choosing between arthrography and fluoroscopic guidance codes for sacroiliac injections are over. CPT® 2012 changes the definition of 27096 so that it includes fluoroscopic or CT guidance, effective Jan. 1, 2012: 2011: 27096, Injection procedure for sacroiliac joint, arthrography and/or anesthetic/steroid 2012: 27096, Injection procedure for sacroiliac joint, anesthetic/steroid, with image guidance (fluoroscopy or CT) including arthrography when performed Impact: You should no longer report a separate code for imaging guidance in addition to 27096. For example, in 2011, you reported a sacroiliac (SI) joint arthrogram using 27096 and 73542 (Radiological examination, sacroiliac joint arthrography, radiological supervision and interpretation). In 2012, you should report only 27096 to capture both the injection procedure and the arthrography. In fact, CPT® 2012 deletes 73542 because the arthrography service is now included in the definition of 27096. Your coding for an SI [...]
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