Wiki Help with cpt code 22614

[Jocopoco53]

my physician has performed a T5 TO T11 POSTERIOR SPINAL INSTRUMENTED FUSION . HE USED CPT CODE 22610 AND THEN BILLED 22614 7 TIMES , IS THAT CORRECT , I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION 1 LEVEL IS T5-T6, I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IT TO 22610 AND 22614 TIMES 4 , PLEASE HELP IM NEW TO SPINAL CODING

 

[mhstrauss]

my physician has performed a T5 TO T11 POSTERIOR SPINAL INSTRUMENTED FUSION . HE USED CPT CODE 22610 AND THEN BILLED 22614 7 TIMES , IS THAT CORRECT , I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION 1 LEVEL IS T5-T6, I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE IT TO 22610 AND 22614 TIMES 4 , PLEASE HELP IM NEW TO SPINAL CODING

I agree with 22610 & 22614 x 4. Even if you you counted individual vertebra, as opposed to motion segments, 22614 would be times 6, not 7, so not sure how he's coming up with 7 of the add-on code.

Documentation of reasoning to support my answer found here:

http://www2.aaos.org/bulletin/aug04/code.htm

https://www.aapc.com/blog/25658-procedure-coding-made-simple/



HTH!

 

[CodingKing]

T5-T6 is 1 interspace and 2 segments


T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T10
T11

is 7 segments or 6 interspaces.

22610 x1
22614 x6

I think its just a siilly mistake not subtracting a unit from the add-on that goes under the primary code

 

[sxcoder1]

Seems like 22610 x1 and 22614 x5 to me

 

[alch]

Seems like 22610 x1 and 22614 x5 to me

This is the correct answer as there are 6 levels of fusion total from T5-11. Unless the fusion was performed for a deformity in which case you would use 22802 only.