Neurosurgery Coding Alert

You can apply modifier 22 only in this situation. Confidently skip reporting a twist drill, cranial burr, or trephine in addition to the neuroendoscope code to end unbundling errors. Compare your answers to our experts and see how you fare. Keep Things Simple for 61516 Answer 1: You would select 61516 (Craniectomy, trephination, bone flap craniotomy; for excision or fenestration of cyst, supratentorial). Avoid This Open Procedure Code Pitfall Answer 2: Select 62162 (Neuroendoscopy, intracranial; with fenestration or excision of colloid cyst, including placement of external ventricular catheter for drainage). Protect yourself: You should not report the endoscopic code (62162) in addition to the open procedure code (61516). The endoscopy code does not describe an extra step above and beyond the related open procedures. Instead, you should report 62162 only to describe the endoscopic procedure. Important exception: Know the one case in which the above rule does not hold true. [...]