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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

CPT 2001 Contains Significant Neurosurgery Code Changes
The American Medical Associations (AMA) CPT changes for 2001 indicate a more straightforwa... Read more
New Modifier Recognizes Additional Work for Revisions
Until now, any procedure that was complex and required additional time was coded and bille... Read more
Changes to Critical Care Services
CPT 2001 has also instituted several additions to the text for the use of critical care c... Read more
Correction
The October issue of Neurosurgery Coding Alert had an example of how to use an E/M code wi... Read more
Reader Question:
Programmable V-P Shunt
Question: Should 62367 be used for billing a Codman programmable V-P shunt?Montana Subscri... Read more
Reader Question:
Black Box Edits
Question: Is it true that HCFA has recalled all black box edits? Georgia Subscriber Answe... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Laminectomy for Spinal Cord Tumors
Question: Regarding a laminectomy for spinal cord tumors, I have coded a conun medullaris... Read more
Appeal Denials! Follow Five Steps When Appealing Denials and Receive the Reimbursement You Deserve
Insurance denials for services ethically claimed are an irritating and frequent occurrence... Read more
Latest CCI Bundles E/M to Many Procedure Codes
Effective Oct. 30, 2000, evaluation and management (E/M) services are considered bundled t... Read more
Case Study:
Use Modifiers -62 and -80 to Optimize Co-surgery Payments
Co-surgeon status is denoted by attaching modifier -62 (two surgeons) to the procedure, w... Read more
Reader question:
Bilateral Neurostimulator Array
Question: Code 61862 is defined as a singular procedure. When the neurosurgeon performs th... Read more
Reader Question:
Wound Care During Global Period
Question: An L4/5 hemilaminectomy and diskectomy (63030, laminotomy [hemilaminectomy], wit... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Review of X-ray and Lab Without Face-To-Face
Question: What code should be used when a neurosurgeon performs a medical review of x-rays... Read more
Case Study:
Increase Reimbursement for Blood-brain Barrier Disruption Therapy
When billing for blood-brain barrier disruption therapy (BBBD) to treat brain tumors, neur... Read more
Know When to Bill E/M Services With Modifier -24
When a neurosurgeon performs an unrelated evaluation and management (E/M) service on a pat... Read more
Understand Guidelines for Starred Procedures to Optimize Pay Up
When is a small procedure, such as a biopsy or an injection, considered minor, and what do... Read more
Reader Question:
Bundling Codes
Question: The insurance company is asking for a refund on a claim with an October 1997 dat... Read more
Reader Question:
Craniotomy With Temporal Lobectomy
Question: One of our surgeons did a craniotomy, (61313) along with a temporal lobectomy wi... Read more
Reader Question:
20660 and 61793, 61751
Question: The application of tongs (20660) often is not paid separately. Insurance compani... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding Arthritis
Question: What is the difference between an arthritic condition that can be coded with a 7... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Synthes Plate
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Optimize Payment for Skull Base Surgeries by Properly Coding All the Different Procedures
Skull base surgeries often require the skills of several surgeons of different specialties... Read more
Ensure Reimbursement for PA In the Surgical Setting
Physician assistants (PA) often are used as first assistants to the neurosurgeon. Sometime... Read more
Increase Pay Up With Proper Documentation for Modifier -22
Often, a surgical claim is coded with modifier -22 (unusual procedural services) to denot... Read more
Reader Question:
Use of Medicare Modifiers
Question: Should we add a -GA modifier onto each code to make the patient responsible if M... Read more
Reader Question:
New Practice, Old Patients
Question: I work for a doctor who just left a large group practice to start his own practi... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Replacement of Skull Flap
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Obtain Proper Reimbursement for Treating Trigeminal Neuralgia
Various treatments are available for patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia (350.1),... Read more
Aborted or Rescheduled Surgical Procedures:
Optimize Reimbursement Using Modifiers -52 and -53
Some neurosurgery coders have problems distinguishing between modifiers -52 (reduced servi... Read more
After-hours Codes:
Optimize Reimbursement for Emergency Surgeries
Trauma can happen at any time. Neurosurgeons may receive calls at two in the morning becau... Read more
Reader Question:
Take Down of a Fusion
Question: Recently, our neurosurgeon performed an exploration of a spinal fusion and then ... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Bone Grafts
Question: Is there a code for laying down either demineralized bone matrix (like Osteofil ... Read more
Gain Reimbursement for Open-door Laminoplasties by Using Unlisted Code
Open-door laminoplasties are not new, but neurosurgeons are finding new applications for t... Read more
How the New APCs Will Affect Reimbursement
The ambulatory payment classification (APC) regulations set forth by the Health Care Finan... Read more
Precision Critical to Get Workers' Comp Visits Paid
Neurosurgeons who bill for workers compensation claims can avoid reimbursement delays by u... Read more
Reader Question:
The Four Levels of an Appeal
Question: Would you please explain the four levels of appealing a claim?Wisconsin Subscrib... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding Ethically
Question: Our neurosurgeon had a neurologist provide the technical component for intraoper... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Differentiating 22554 and 63075
Question: Could you please explain the difference between 22554 and 63075 when performing ... Read more
Get Paid For ER Patients Admitted on Same Day
Its common for neurosurgeons to see patients in the emergency room (ER) and subsequently a... Read more
Avoid Audits by Using National Averages as Guide
By Eric Sandham, CPCNeurosurgery Coding Alert Consulting EditorCompliance EducatorCentral ... Read more
Set Up Internal Log to Track Payer-specific Coding Policies
Many neurosurgeons see patients in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings, and man... Read more
Reader Question:
Bilateral Paravertebral Articular Nerve Blocks
Question: What are the correct codes for bilateral paravertebral articular nerve blocks fo... Read more
Reader Question:
Intraoperative Consultations
Question: I work for a neurosurgeon in a solo practice. On occasion, he is called into the... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding for Cosurgeries
Question: If a neurosurgeon does the opening and closing exposure of a spine for an orthop... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding for Endoscopic Use
Question: A neurosurgeon who is new to our practice is using the endoscope (i.e., endoscop... Read more
Five Tips to Increase Pay Ups for Spine Surgeries
Nugget: Coding complex spine surgeries using the following five tips will assist in prop... Read more
E/M Levels:
Increase Pay by Documenting Counseling Time
Nugget: Neurosurgeons should consider not only history, exam and medical decision-making... Read more
News Brief:
Electronic Billing to Be Made Safer and More Secure
Nugget: Technology and healthcare companies have banded together to make electronic clai... Read more
CCI 101:
Understand Medicare's Powerful Compliance Tool
Nugget: Understanding CCI edits can help reduce denials for neurosurgeons because many o... Read more
Principles for Assigning Code Pairs
The “Introduction” to the Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) manual defines the... Read more
Reader Question:
Spinal Fixation
Question: Blue Cross/Blue Shield disallowed CPT code 22558 of the following surgery: 225... Read more
Reader Question:
Ligation of a Lumboperiotoneal Shunt
Question: How would you code the ligation of a lumboperitoneal shunt? The procedure cons... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Interior Lumbar Diskectomy
Question: Surgery was performed on a patient for an anterior lumbar diskectomy with inte... Read more
Use Modifiers to Maximize Reimbursement for Postoperative Procedures During Global Periods
A great deal of potential reimbursement is not pursued because many neurosurgeons believe ... Read more
Case Study:
Optimize Reimbursement for Deep Brain Stimulator Implants
When billing for implanting deep brain stimulators to treat Parkinsons disease, neurosurge... Read more
Update:
AHIMA Releases New Standards of Ethical Coding
Proper coding for neurosurgical procedures and practices requires up-to-the-minute infor... Read more
Reader Question:
ACDF Surgeries
Question: Our physician performs anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgeries ... Read more
Reader Question:
Gamma Knife Procedures
Question: When using the gamma knife for a procedure, what is the correct code or codes th... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Epidural Steroid Injections
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Cut Through Complex Billing for Parkinsons Treatment Deep Brain Stimulators
Public awareness of Parkinsons disease has grown steadily in recent years. Parkinsons suff... Read more
Gain Optimal Reimbursement For Consultations
Although Medicare and CPT have clarified their positions on consultation reimbursement, so... Read more
Get Paid for New Procedures And New Technologies
Neurosurgeons often learn of new procedures and technologies that may help to provide a be... Read more
Reader Question:
CPT 2000 Change to Code 22840
Question: I am very interested in learning more about the changes to code 22840 between th... Read more
Reader Question:
Improve Pay Ups on Microdiskectomy
Question: What is the proper coding if a neurosurgeon performs a re-exploration microdiske... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Implementing CPT 2000 Codes
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Medical Necessity Key to Optimize Pay Up for Pain Pumps
Pain pumps often are used to manage a patients pain after spine surgery, but getting reimb... Read more
Maximize Billing for Instrumentation Procedures
On Sunday, Jan. 23, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas was thrown from a speedin... Read more
Gain Optimal Reimbursement From Workers Comp Carriers
Neurosurgeons often treat patients who are filing or intend to file workers compensation c... Read more
Reader Question:
Fighting Incorrect Reduction of Add-on Codes
Question: We have received reductions in payment and flat out denials when billing for mu... Read more
Reader Question:
Appeal Denials for 61751 and 61510
Question: Carriers have been issuing denials when we bill 61751 (with 61510 and 61795). Th... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Billing Laminotomies and Laminectomies
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Precise Coding Key for Spinal Cord Stimulation Reimbursement
Surgical insertion of spinal cord neurostimulators for pain management is a complicated re... Read more
Get Paid For E/M Services Billed With Trauma Calls
Insurance carriers often bundle evaluation and management (E/M) services that result in a ... Read more
Ensure Maximum Pay Up for Multiple Procedures Like ACDF
When neurosurgeons perform multiple surgical procedures on a patient, many major independ... Read more
Integrated Billing Strategies for Co-surgeries
Co-surgeons claims often are denied because they each bill as the only physician involved ... Read more
CPT 2000 Changes Affect Neurosurgeons
A number of codes that affect neurosurgeons have been added, deleted or changed in CPT 200... Read more
Reader Question:
Considering New Procedures
Question: Our neurosurgeon is looking into new procedures to add to his practice. He wants... Read more
Reader Question:
Removal of Pseudoarthrosis
Question: Our physician wants us to code for the removal of pseudoarthrosis, redo laminoto... Read more
You Be the Coder:
Coding Add-on Procedures
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at... Read more
Available Years:  2000