• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ & read the forum rules. To view all forums, post or create a new thread, you must be an AAPC Member. If you are a member and have already registered for member area and forum access, you can log in by clicking here. If you've forgotten the password it can be reset on our sign in section by entering your registered Email Address or Username here. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below..

Wiki Tibb20

Create Wiki
LTibbetts

LTibbetts

Guest
Messages
717
Location
Bangor, Maine
Best answers
0
This is going to sound very ignorant but I am VERY new to this. For coding knee arthroscopy, how do you tell the difference between diagnostic (29870) and surgical (29880) procedures? Please help!
 
for diagnostic, they pretty much go in and look, possibly determine a diagnosis and thats it.

If its surgical, you will see in the op note that they actually did something...debridement, resected, etc. Look for those types of key words :)

Hope this helps
Mary
 
Thanks, it defininately does help. I seem to still be confused however. I have come across two similar charts, both with the 29870-LT code. One even had a cyst drained in the area and that was not coded at all. Are those incorrect? I would have used code 29880, is that correct?
 
Last edited:
29880 seems more appropriate based on the info you have provided. Depending on the documentation, the cyst could be bundled, really just depends on that one.
 
Thanks so much for your help. It's nice to know that I was on the right track and it's just another example to trust my own instincts and coding ability.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top