# Arthroscopic Chondroplasty



## ghinojosa (Dec 16, 2010)

Does anyone ever bill more than one chondroplasty at the same operative session? If my provider, performs a chondroplasty on both the medial and lateral, or patella. can you bill the 29877, 29877-59? this is all within one knee. 
Thanks!


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## cpccpma (Dec 16, 2010)

If that is all your doc is doing then only report 29877 once no matter how many comparments. If he is doing this in addition to something else in another compartment use g0289-it is the add on code.


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## btadlock1 (Dec 16, 2010)

*That's a negative...*

Distinct procedural service = different site/organ system, session, procedure, separate incision, lesion, or injury. 

You might try modifier 51 instead of 59, or you could bill the code once with a 22 modifier.


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Dec 16, 2010)

I agree with CPCCPMA

*Chondroplasty*

The code for chondroplasty (29877) has caused much confusion, which is now aggravated by the addition of a Medicare HCPSC Level II code (G0289). Part of the confusion stems from the misreporting of the appropriate ICD-9 code. Chondromalacia of the patella is reported with ICD-9 code 717.7. However, chondromalacia of the medial or lateral knee should be reported with ICD-9 code 733.92. 

The introduction of code G0289 for Medicare patients invalidates the use of CPT code 29877 when the chondroplasty is performed with another arthroscopic knee procedure. This does not mean that you cannot report a concomitant knee chondroplasty performed in a different compartment. However, it does mean that you must report the G0289 with the other procedures.

Here are some examples: you would report 29881 and G0289 for a *Medicare* patient who has a medial meniscectomy and a lateral chonroplasty. *If just chondroplasties are performed in both the medial and  lateral compartments, you would report code 29877*. A medial meniscectomy with chondroplasties in both the lateral and patellofemoral compartments would be reported with 29881, G0289 and G0289-59. (Remember that modifiers can be carrier-driven issues.)

It can be a bit trickier for *non-Medicare *patients. Many third-party carriers are adopting the G code and requiring its use (instead of 29877) in reporting chondroplasties performed concurrent with other arthroscopic knee procedures. Carriers should understand that the G code can be reported more than once, provided each mention is for a separate compartment. *However, code 29877 can be reported only once, regardless of how many compartments are affected*

http://www2.aaos.org/aaos/archives/bulletin/apr05/code.asp


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## kmac (Dec 16, 2010)

I'm assuming this is arthroscopic, right? If so, yes you can code for each compartment. I code for a facility. There is a HCPC's code G0289 that is an add-on code for arthroscopy. It is only reported once per extra compartment meaning you can code 29877, G0289, G0289 (chondroplasty in all 3 compartments). Hope this helps.


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## cpccpma (Dec 16, 2010)

g0289 is the add on code to 29880-29883-you can't bill as an add on to 29877.


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Dec 16, 2010)

Again, I agree with CPCCPMA...

Per the 2007 Orthopaedic Pink Sheet...

*You can't use both 29877 and G0289 on the same claim as they both describe the same procedure.* Each of the codes is meant to be used for a different circumstance:

Use 29877 (arthroscopy, knee, surgical; debridement/shaving of articular cartilage (chondroplasty) when that is the primary procedure performed during the operative session. CPT specifies that you should report 29877 “only one time, regardless of how many areas are debrided or shaved” (CPT Assistant, Aug. 2001). That means that no matter how many compartments the surgeon performs chondroplasty on, you get to bill 29877 just once for the entire procedure. 

For Medicare patients only, use G0289 (Surgical knee arthroscopy for removal of loose body, foreign body, debridement/shaving of articular cartilage at the time of other surgical knee arthroscopy in a different compartment of the same knee), an add-on code, when chondroplasty is performed at the same time as a different arthroscopic knee procedure


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## kmac (Dec 16, 2010)

Rebecca and CPCCPMA are right. I was looking at the wrong CPT. I agree. 
After I posted I knew something wasn't right about my response I've been digging in notes and came across same info Rebecca posted. Sorry about that.


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Dec 16, 2010)

kmac said:


> Rebecca and CPCCPMA are right. I was looking at the wrong CPT. I agree.
> After I posted I knew something wasn't right about my response I've been digging in notes and came across same info Rebecca posted. Sorry about that.



That's why we're all here.  To learn and help each other out.


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## mnhilleary (May 28, 2013)

If I use 29877 can I use 29881 , if the surgeon preformed a medial mesnisectomy  with chondroplasty and drilling of medial femoral condyle  with chondroplasty of the patella? 

I think the codes overlap eachother but im not sure 

thank you !


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## mitchellde (May 28, 2013)

Read the procedure description in your CPT book to confirm your answer.  It has changed since this thread was started.


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