# 29881 in conjunction with 29875-59



## kc-george (Mar 18, 2014)

What are your all's experiences, if any, with billing 29881 with 29875, if the plicectomy was performed in a separate compartment?  

Thank you.


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## nyyankees (Mar 18, 2014)

kc-george said:


> What are your all's experiences, if any, with billing 29881 with 29875, if the plicectomy was performed in a separate compartment?
> 
> Thank you.



Technically you can bill it but since they took the chondroplasty (29877) out I know some carriers were doing the same with synovectomies. I'd bill it and appeal if they deny.


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## caromissunc1 (Mar 18, 2014)

I had this exact same scenario in our office yesterday.  It was a commercial payer.  There were no bundling issues when I coded out 29881 (lateral compartment) and 29875 (medial compartment) with a 59 modifier.


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## caromissunc1 (Mar 18, 2014)

My bad......  DUH!!!  29877 in the lateral compartment and 29875-59 in the medial compartment.


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## kc-george (Mar 18, 2014)

thank you all for the feedback!


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## amyjph (Mar 20, 2014)

Please see a link to the AAOS recommendation on 29875.  We do not code 29875 with other knee scopes even if it is a different compartment.

http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/jan13/managing2.asp

"CPT code 29875, limited synovectomy, is described as a “separate procedure.” This means that the work associated with this procedure is inclusive to more extensive procedures performed in the same anatomic site (the knee) and is not separately reportable. This code should only be reported if it is the only procedure performed; *separate compartment rules do not apply*."


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## nyyankees (Mar 21, 2014)

amyjph said:


> Please see a link to the AAOS recommendation on 29875.  We do not code 29875 with other knee scopes even if it is a different compartment.
> 
> http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/jan13/managing2.asp
> 
> "CPT code 29875, limited synovectomy, is described as a ?separate procedure.? This means that the work associated with this procedure is inclusive to more extensive procedures performed in the same anatomic site (the knee) and is not separately reportable. This code should only be reported if it is the only procedure performed; *separate compartment rules do not apply*."



Thanks for the link. I knew that when we lost 29877 that 29875 wouldn't be too far brhind.


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