Neurosurgery Coding Alert
Coding Add-on Procedures
Question: We have had several patients require a laminectomy to be performed with additional levels. The codes 63035 (each additional interspace, cervical or lumbar) or 63048 (each additional segment, cervical, thoracic, or lumbar) were used with modifier -51 (multiple procedures) and our claims were denied. How should we properly code for these add-on procedures?
Anonymous Oregon Subscriber
Although the codes are correctly used in the readers example, no modifiers should be attached to them. Modifier -51 can be used only when multiple procedures, other than evaluation and management services, are performed at the same session by the same provider.
Neurosurgery Coding Alert
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