ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert
Scratch That Itch With The Right Code For The Work Provided
Question: I need help with this one:
Presenting complaint: Patient states that he was scratching inside of his full long leg cast with a hanger when the hanger broke off and is now stuck in cast.
The procedure note reads: Foreign Body Removal: after bivalve of the cast and cutting through padding and stockinette, I removed piece of plastic. The broken edges match those of the hanger brought in. There does not appear to be another piece of plastic in the cast and the skin in that area was intact.
What is the procedure code for the removal?
Answer: CPT® codes 29700-29750 are available to report removal or repair of a cast. Importantly, the code set requires that the cast must have been applied by another individual. The following codes are available for reporting cast bivalving services
· 29700 (Removal or bivalving; gauntlet, boot or body cast)
· 29705 (Removal or bivalving; full arm or full leg cast)
· 29710 (Removal or bivalving; shoulder or hip spica, Minerva, or Risser jacket, etc.)
· 29715 (Removal or bivalving; turnbuckle jacket)
Codes 29720–29750 are reserved for repair, windowing a cast, or wedging of a cast.
For the service you describe, code 29705 is the best choice to describe the work performed.
New York Subscriber
ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert
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