Wiki fracture codes

[rcbaker]

i work for a hospital and i am trying to fix the chargemaster for ortho.
however while in the meeting the physician manager states that if the physician does not apply the cast he can't bill any initial fx codes: 22305, 22310...
Is there anything out there to support this?

 

[mbort]

Are these ER Physicians? Typically ER docs do not bill fracture care because they are referred to an ortho office for treatment and a cast/splint is just applied for stabilization until the patient can seek outside medical treatment.

 

[mitchellde]

You say you are fixing the chargemaster, so these are facility codes then you are referring to. If there is fracture treatment and there is no traction at all applied wheter that be a brace or a splint or a cast, then I question whether fracture care was performed. Fracture care implies that a fractured bone was examined with or without manipulation and reduction, without then some form of traction how do you hold the bones in correct anatomic position? So some form of traction must be applied and it does not have to be a cast, for the facility to charge fracture care.