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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Be Specific With Assistant Surgeon Services

Published on Mon May 07, 2012

Question: The office of our co-surgeon is requesting codes for ALIF. We provided code 22558-62, explaining that our surgeon only assisted with the approach and this was verified in the co-surgeon's dictation. Our surgeon listed our AS, so we can assume that our AS helped with the rest of the procedure. Can we bill the following for the surgeon and AS?Surgeon: 22558 (Arthrodesis, anterior interbody technique, including minimal discectomy to prepare interspace [other than for decompression]; lumbar) -62 (Two surgeons), 22845 (Anterior instrumentation; 2 to 3 vertebral segments [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]), 22851 (Application of intervertebral biomechanical device[s] [e.g., synthetic cage(s), methylmethacrylate] to vertebral defect or interspace [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]).Assistant surgeon: 22845, 22851.New York SubscriberAnswer: The scenario described is quite common. Coding rules allow for co-surgeons to share the work of one procedure, while an assistant surgeon or physician [...]
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