# Please Help! Subchondroplasty



## HAPPYCODER (Jan 3, 2013)

I have a provider who is now doing arthroscopic subchondroplasty for bone edema. Does anyone know the correct code to use for this procedure?


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## nyyankees (Jan 4, 2013)

HAPPYCODER said:


> I have a provider who is now doing arthroscopic subchondroplasty for bone edema. Does anyone know the correct code to use for this procedure?



29999 via scope or 27599 open. My doc is doing as well. Carriers will NOT pay but have been unable to find policy on any website.


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## HAPPYCODER (Jan 4, 2013)

My doctor was given codes to bill from the company but they are mostly fracture codes. Have you been paid for any of the procedures?


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## nyyankees (Jan 4, 2013)

HAPPYCODER said:


> My doctor was given codes to bill from the company but they are mostly fracture codes. Have you been paid for any of the procedures?



no - just sent out 1 so far and know carriers won't pay.


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## Carolyn_neumann (Jan 7, 2013)

*carolcoder*

The important thing with subchondroplasty is that it is performed for the repair of microfractures. This should be reflected in the Dx code. The bone edema diagnosed is often the result of the fractures. As an arthroscopically assisted procedure using bone cement to repair the tibial fractures, I would suggest 29855. AANS and AMA appear to support the use of bone void cement in fracture repair for this code.


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## BCrandall (Mar 20, 2013)

Carolyn_neumann said:


> The important thing with subchondroplasty is that it is performed for the repair of microfractures. This should be reflected in the Dx code. The bone edema diagnosed is often the result of the fractures. As an arthroscopically assisted procedure using bone cement to repair the tibial fractures, I would suggest 29855. AANS and AMA appear to support the use of bone void cement in fracture repair for this code.



Do you have any material to support this? We could use it to respond to denials!


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## joanne71178 (Mar 21, 2013)

I was advised to code 27415-52 w/the diagnosis code of 733.90.  

Any thoughts?


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## BCrandall (Mar 28, 2013)

joanne71178 said:


> I was advised to code 27415-52 w/the diagnosis code of 733.90.
> 
> Any thoughts?



It's not a transplant or allograft so 27415 won't work...


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