Neurosurgery Coding Alert

When your surgeon performs spinal fusion procedures, you'll need extra codes to complete your claim. Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits allow you to code for the cage and/or bone graft in addition to the fusion.

For a refresher on spinal fusion coding, check out "Distinguish 4 Spinal Procedures With This Detail" in Neurosurgery Coding Alert, Vol. 11, Number 1. Then choose from these codes as appropriate for the cage and bone graft, as suggested by Heidi Stout, CPC, CCS-P, director of orthopedic coding services at The Coding Network LLC, and boost your bottom line. (Fees listed are based on the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule national average conversion factor of 36.0846 for facility services.)

• +20930 -- Allograft for spine surgery only; morselized (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $0.00

• +20931 -- ... structural (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $108.98

• +22851 -- Application of intervertebral biomechanical device(s) (e.g., synthetic cage(s), threaded bone dowel(s), methylmethacrylate) to vertebral defect or interspace (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $399.46

• +20936 -- Autograft for spine surgery only (includes harvesting the graft); local (e.g., ribs, spinous process, or laminar fragments) obtained from same incision (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $0.00

• +20937 -- ... morselized (through separate skin or fascial incision) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $164.55

• +20938 -- ... structural, bicortical or tricortical (through separate skin or fascial incision) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure); $180.06.