Wiki Diagnostic Arthoscopy

[Valerie813]

My doc did a diagnostic wrist arthoscopy. Then he made a separate incision and went forward with a capsulodesis of the wrist. Could I report these two services separately, or is this considered an arthroscopy converted to an open procedure?

Thanks!!!

Val

 

[pcheshier]

In INGENIX 2012 for Orthopedics, it does not show that these 2 procedures are bundled in CCI, so I would think you could bill 26520-26525 (depending on how many joints he did) first, then 29840/59 since these were 2 separate incisions. The capsulodesis has more RVU's than the scope, so you bill that first.