Wiki Total knee replacement with bone graft

[Lisa Heikes]

Can the bone graft harvested from the bone cuts be coded separately with 27447?

 

[jdemar]

Codes for obtaining autogenous bone, cartilage, tendon, fascia lata grafts, or other tissues harvested from a separate skin/fascial incisions should be reported separately unless the code descriptor references the harvesting of the graft or implant.

The only time you can bill for harvest from same incision is surgery on the spine.

If the Dr went over and above the norm., I would add a -22 modifier and increase the charge 25%, send operative notes to justify such.