Wiki Billing closed treatment of Vertebral Body fractures?

[JMichelle]

An orthopedic doctor at my practice is wanting to bill 22310 for vertebral body fractures. This code requires bracing - he is wondering if we can still bill this code if we write the patient a script for a brace instead of doing it in the office ourselves.

Note: If we did do it in the office - does HE personally have to be the one to fit the patient? ( I am seeing conflicting info on this )
Or could someone else in the office do it? What qualifications must they have?

Thank you,

 

[Coder019]

Yes, I bill it with Cpt 22310, even without bracing for closed tx w/o manip.

 

[thomas7331]

According to the AMA (in CPT Assistant, July 2014), physician presence for bracing is required in order to bill this code:

In the June 2006 CPT Assistant, the AMA stated that a physician must be present during the application of a brace in order to report code 22310. Because strapping and bracing are typically no longer used for closed vertebral fractures, does this in any way change the AMA's position on physician presence for the brace application requirement for reporting code 22310?

Answer:
No. There is no change in the reporting requirements for code 22310, Closed treatment of vertebral body fracture(s), without manipulation, requiring and including casting or bracing. Physician presence is still a requirement to report this code.