** The coding information and guidance are valid at the time of publishing. Learners are encouraged to research subsequent official guidance in the areas associated with the topic as they can change rapidly.
Tips & Expertise: Put Your Foot In It: CPT Coding for Foot and Ankle Procedures Webinar Q&A
Q: A physician performed a fusion at the first tarsometatarsal joint and an open reduction with internal fixation of the second TMT joint. Can I report both 28740 and 28615?A: Yes, it would be appropriate to report both codes. They are being done at separate sites....
Foot and Ankle: Don’t get your tendons in a Wad!
For many years I struggled coding foot and ankle procedures. I would ask myself: “Is this tendon a flexor or is it an extensor?” “Hmm... what does it do?” “Is this a ligament or is this a tendon?” Of course, back then we didn’t have internet and had to utilize...
Webinar Q&A: Breaking Down Vascular Interventional Radiology Coding for ICD-10-PCS Part 1
This page addresses follow-up questions and additional information pertinent to our webinar Breaking Down Vascular Interventional Radiology Coding for ICD-10-PCS Part 1. ** The coding information and guidance are valid at the time of publishing. Learners are...
Six Steps for Successful Angioplasty Coding in ICD-10-PCS
Angioplasty is a relatively simple procedure in concept: insert a balloon into an occluded artery, expand it, and the result (hopefully), is a patent vessel. The ICD-10-PCS codes for angioplasty are not so simple. Since PCS codes have seven characters, there are...
New ICD-10-CM/PCS Codes Effective April 1, 2022
With the publication of the Final Rule for the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for fiscal year 2022, CMS announced that beginning April 1, 2022, ICD-10-CM/PCS code updates will occur twice a year every April 1 and October 1. For this year, there is a...
Tips & Expertise: It’s Not Brain Surgery – or is it? ICD-10-PCS Coding for Brain Procedures Webinar Q&A
Q: How would you code for placement of a bone flap from craniotomy into the subcutaneous tissue for storage? Is that integral to the procedure or is there a separate code for it? A: Placement of the bone flap in the subcutaneous tissue for storage meets the root...
It’s not rocket science, but it is brain surgery!
The work of a neurosurgical coder encompasses many different types of procedures and takes you all over the CPT book. There are sections for work on the spine, the spinal cord, nerves, and brain. Since March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month, we decided March...
The X-Factor
Publication: For the Record
In the United States, 14 states and the District of Columbia currently allow individuals to choose a third gender option—specifically, the nonbinary gender marker X—on state-issued birth certificates. The nonbinary designation includes “any person who does not identify with a gender that falls within the traditional male/female or man/woman category” as well as intersex individuals. Hear from CEO, Mary Beth Haugen, on this situation and the discrepancies that it is causing for patient matching. | Read More.
Tips & Expertise: CPT Coding for Orthopedic Oncology Webinar Q&A
Q: Is it appropriate to wait for a pathology report before coding?A: Absolutely, I encourage it. Q: If my surgeon does not document the size of a lesion and the margins, can I take them from the pathology report? 4A: Ideally, this is not good practice. When specimens...
Overview of Orthopedic Oncology
Orthopedic oncology is a subspeciality of orthopedics that involves the diagnosis and treatment of malignant disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic oncologists treat conditions such as: Primary bone cancers Soft tissue tumors Cancers, such as breast,...
