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pain management injection

J

JLM929

Networker
Messages
37
Location
Allentown, PA
A Pain management provider in our office wants to use code 20610 for an SI injection to replace 27096 since he didn't do the injection under fluro. Is this correct?
Please Help!
 
pain injection

Jpud914 said:
A Pain management provider in our office wants to use code 20610 for an SI injection to replace 27096 since he didn't do the injection under fluro. Is this correct?
Please Help!
Click to expand...

Hi there! Per CPT, if fluroscopic guidance is not used, 20552 should be used instead of 27096.
:)
 
Pain management injection.

Our pain management provider wants to use code 20610 for the SI joint injection w/out fluro. Would that be an appropriate code?
 
20610

Jpud914 said:
Our pain management provider wants to use code 20610 for the SI joint injection w/out fluro. Would that be an appropriate code?
Click to expand...

I wouln't use 20610 if you were originally considering 27096-CPT specifically says to use20552 in place of 27096 if no fluro. Without seeing your notes/dicatation, I don't feel that 20610 would be appropriate in this case.
 
My physicians do alot of SI joint injections without fluoroscopic imaging. We use 20610 since the SI joint is a major joint. 20552 code is for 1 or 2 muscles.

If the Dr dictates joint, I would use 20610 if he dictates muscles, I would use 20552.
 
HEATHER L said:
My physicians do alot of SI joint injections without fluoroscopic imaging. We use 20610 since the SI joint is a major joint. 20552 code is for 1 or 2 muscles.

If the Dr dictates joint, I would use 20610 if he dictates muscles, I would use 20552.
Click to expand...

This would not be correct though, based on the CPT guidelines and parenthetical notes, which specifically state to use 20552 when no guidance is used. Not to be rude or disrespectful, but if the book says to use a certain code under certain circumstances, it doesn't really matter what was done, that's just what you use. The actual reason a trigger point code was selected instead of 20610 is because it's near impossible to hit the SI joint accurately without guidance. So the rationale is, if you're not using guidance, then you're not actually doing the SI joint injection, so you must be injecting the area around the joint, which would include the muscles. Does that make sense? :)
 
aaron.lucas said:
This would not be correct though, based on the CPT guidelines and parenthetical notes, which specifically state to use 20552 when no guidance is used. Not to be rude or disrespectful, but if the book says to use a certain code under certain circumstances, it doesn't really matter what was done, that's just what you use. The actual reason a trigger point code was selected instead of 20610 is because it's near impossible to hit the SI joint accurately without guidance. So the rationale is, if you're not using guidance, then you're not actually doing the SI joint injection, so you must be injecting the area around the joint, which would include the muscles. Does that make sense? :)
Click to expand...

Agreed. I had this same question earlier this year; another poster referred to a CPT Assistant (I believe) that states what Aaron says here.
 
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