Wiki Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy

[katic23]

What code(s) are being used by those of you out there for lumbar endoscopic discectomy? I am very concerned about the coverage for this procedure and the reps are stating that the word "endoscopic" should not be dictated in the operative report. This sets off alarm bells....

 

[OCD_coder]

You are so right to have alarm bells going off in your mind.....the hair on my neck is tingling reading this.

This is a legal liability the reps absolutely should NOT be telling the physicians to do. The physician has to document exactly what they perform, that is the law. You wouldn't tell a provider to document an open rotator cuff repair when an arthroscopic was performed, the provider should be ignoring this advice as it puts their licensure at risk.

We select codes based on what the documentation supports.

 

[katic23]

Yes. I understand that codes need to be selected based on the documentation. I inquired as to what codes are currently being used by other neuro offices out there. My doc says that he doesn't do this procedure percutaneously so the 62287 wouldn't appear to apply.