# Need pain management coding help!!



## mirandah (Sep 21, 2009)

The dr. Preformed a aspiration of the knee and then did a knee injection. Can i bill for both...or is it a combo? I did not see anything in the guidelines. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


----------



## NIENAJADLY (Sep 22, 2009)

*pain management coding help*

Mirandah, it's a combo code.  If you do one or the other or both, it's only billed once (unless you're doing both knees, then it's with a -50 modifier).  Hope that helps.

Kellie


----------



## RebeccaWoodward* (Sep 22, 2009)

Correct....

Per CPT Assistant.......

*Question* 

When aspiration of fluid from the knee joint is performed as well as injection of medication into the knee joint, can code 20610, Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (eg, shoulder, hip, knee joint, subacromial bursa), be reported two times, once for the aspiration of fluid and once for the injection of medication? 

*AMA Comment* 

From a CPT coding perspective, the term "and/or" in the code descriptor of code 20610 indicates that the code includes the performance of one or all of the procedures described in the same major joint or bursa. Therefore, code 20610 should only be reported one time when both aspiration and injection are performed in the same major joint or bursa.


----------

