Joiaw
Guest
My doctors are diagnosing patients with both 721.3 (Lumbar spondylosis) and 724.4 (lumbar radiculopathy). I want to bill the spondylosis only since in the book it has an exclude note with the 724 codes or can they have both diagnosis?
-
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten your username or password use our password reminder tool. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..
Wiki Disorders of the back
- Thread starter Joiaw
- Start date
MarcusM
Expert
The spondylosis is degenerative osteoarthritis which is separate from radiculopathy in which one or more nerves is affected and does not work properly. A patient can have one or the other or both so you can use both codes.
Joiaw
Guest
724 states excludes conditions due to spondylosis which had me confused and since radiculopathy could be caused by spondylosis I thought I would only need to code the spondylosis, I guess when IcD-10 comes out I won't be as confused because there will be a combination code for spondylosis w/radiculopathy M47.2 but this is very helpful info. Thanks
Last edited: