Anesthesia Coding Alert
Confirm Nerve, Location for Occipital Destruction
Question: How should I code occipital nerve destruction? Indiana Subscriber Answer: Coders and payers sometimes have different answers for this question; some recommend 64640 (Destruction by neurolytic agent; other peripheral nerve or branch) because none of CPT's destruction codes specifies the occipital nerve. Other coders, however, believe 64626 (Destruction by neurolytic agent, paravertebral facet joint nerve; cervical or thoracic, single level) is a better option because of the nerve location. Correct coding could depend on two factors: which occipital nerve the physician destroyed (greater, lesser or third) and the anatomical site of destruction (proximal at the site of the nerve origin versus distal in the scalp region). Get these details from your physician and the procedure report to help you make the most accurate coding choice.
Anesthesia Coding Alert
- Documentation Checkpoint:
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Defeat Denials by Conquering Top-10 Issues
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Verify Best Option for Piriformis Injection
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Question: Our anesthesiologist participated in two cases whose times overlapped. One claim is Medicare, and [...] - Reader Questions:
Medical Direction Status Stays for Entire Case
Question: Anesthesiologist A medically directed a CRNA during the first portion of a case. Anesthesiologist [...] - Reader Questions:
3 EEG Codes Include Anesthesia
Question: Some of our anesthesia providers will bill an EEG (CPT 95955) when performed, [...] - Reader Questions:
Go With Higher Base, Not Multiple Codes
Question: Should I include any modifiers when submitting claims for a double procedure, such as [...] - Reader Questions:
V58.69 Could Work for Chronic Narcotic Use
Question: What diagnosis should I use for chronic narcotic use? Louisiana Subscriber Answer: Some coders [...] - Reader Questions:
Confirm Nerve, Location for Occipital Destruction
Question: How should I code occipital nerve destruction? Indiana Subscriber Answer: Coders and payers sometimes [...] - Reader Questions:
Follow Payer Guides for Pump Payment
Question: How should we code spinal pump insertion for pain management? Our physician helped with [...]
