Alphabetic index for arthropathy directs to see also arthritis...
listing for Arthritis, cervical directs to see also Spondylosis, cervical and code 721.3
listing for Arthritis, thoracic directs to see also Spondylosis, thoracic and code 721.2
listing for Arthritis, lumbar directs to see also Spondylosis, lumbar and code 721.3
listing for Arthritis, spine directs to 721.9
Spondylosis is defined as degenerative changes in the spinal joint. Under 716.9 exchangeable terms is also arthritis and also under the Spondylosis codes 721. includes the exchangeable terms arthritis, osteoarthritis and spondylarthritis.
Many payer policies that have IDC limitation for facet joint injection / destruction include the spondylosis
diagnosis codes rather than the other and unspecified arthropathy diagnosis codes.
If provider is using term facet arthropathy, it is probably best to check to see if he/she is using the term interchangeably with spondylosis and report the more specified ICD-9 code. You may then also want to include this in the provider's compliance plan noting the interchangeable use of terms.