Wiki Fracture coding help needed

[shollenbeck@paspokane.com]

New to coding, need some help coding in office Fx treatments. Two scenarios:

#1: If a patient is taken to UC or ER, fx diagnosed, but referred to primary care for f/u care and casting..........who codes the fx care code?

#2: The patient presents in office for right arm pain, Dr. #1 sends to radiology for xrays, fx dx'd, put in splint till swelling is reduced, returns to office, Dr #2 casts. Who charges for the fracture ?

Any help would be much appreciated, this an ongoing discussion within the office.

 

[chenson384]

fracture care codes

The fracture care codes are for the provider providing the fracture care and will be seeing the patient through out the global period.

The doctor that diagnosis the fracture does use the fracture ICD-9 code with his E&M charge and he can bill for applying the temporary splint, but the doctor that actually cast the patient and takes care of the fracture bills the fracture care code.

Of course if the doctor sends the patient to x-ray where a fx is discovered and then the patient is called on the telephone with an appointment for the orthopaedic, never returning to the first office. the 1st doctor will be using pain and symptoms which is all he for sure had when he left that office.

 

[shollenbeck@paspokane.com]

If the two physicians are within the same practice, billing under the same tax id#, could Dr. #1 technically charge the global fx care?

 

[FTessaBartels]

If the two physicians are within the same practice, billing under the same tax id#, could Dr. #1 technically charge the global fx care?

Only if he provided the fracture care ... including FOLLOW-UP during the 90-day global period.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[shollenbeck@paspokane.com]

Thank you, it does help