Neurosurgery Coding Alert
Can You Code Tongs With Laminectomy?
Question: May we report 20660 separately for use of tongs when performing cervical laminectomy?- Washington, D.C., Subscriber Answer: In fact, you may not report 20660 (Application of cranial tongs, caliper, or stereotactic frame, including removal [separate procedure]) separately for use of tongs when performing cervical laminectomy (63045, Laminectomy, facetectomy and foraminotomy [unilateral or bilateral with decompression of spinal cord, cauda equina and/or nerve root(s) (e.g., spinal or lateral recess stenosis)], single vertebral segment; cervical). The national Correct Coding Initiative specifically bundles 20660 to 63045. Additionally, CPT designates 20660 as a "separate procedure" and therefore not usually billable when performed along with a related procedure.
Neurosurgery Coding Alert
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Can You Code Tongs With Laminectomy?
Question: May we report 20660 separately for use of tongs when performing cervical laminectomy?- Washington, [...] - Reader Questions:
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Question: How should I assign a diagnosis if the patient's primary complaint is "back pain"? [...] - Reader Questions:
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Question: If the surgeon fuses vertebrae L2 through L5 posteriorly, how many units of arthrodesis [...] - Reader Questions:
Don't Make Re-Exploration Harder Than It Is
Question: How should I report a right L4-L5 "redo" laminectomy, foraminotomy and discectomy? What about [...] - Reader Questions:
Test Interpretations Aren't Always Separate
Question: My surgeon and I have an ongoing debate about diagnostic testing, such as CT [...]
