Neurosurgery Coding Alert
How Should You Report Bone Healing Stimulator?
Washington, D.C., Subscriber
Answer: Medicare and most third-party payers recommend that you report 20975 (Electrical stimulation to aid bone healing; invasive [operative]) when the orthopedic surgeon inserts an internal bone stimulator to aid healing.
Physicians often insert stimulators following procedures such as spinal fusion (22612, Arthrodesis, posterior or posterolateral technique, single level; lumbar [with or without lateral transverse technique]).
Most insurers only cover the internal stimulator for nonunion of long bone fractures, and as an adjunct to spinal fusion surgery.
Most payers accept ICD-9 code 733.82 (Nonunion of fracture [pseudoarthrosis] [bone]) when the physician inserts internal or external bone stimulators.
If the surgeon applies an external bone stimulator, report 20974 (Electrical stimulation to aid bone healing; noninvasive [nonoperative]).
Payers will generally cover an external bone stimulator for nonunion of long bone fractures; for failed fusion, when a minimum of nine months has elapsed since the last surgery; for congenital pseudoarthroses; and as an adjunct to spinal fusion surgery for patients at high risk of pseudoarthrosis due to previously failed fusion at the same site or for those undergoing multiple-level fusion.
Neurosurgery Coding Alert
- Learn the Neuroendoscopy 3-Step for Easy Code Application
Choose either the open or the endoscopic code - never both
To report neuroendoscopic procedures correctly, [...] - Look for Better Kyphoplasty, Vertebroplasty Coverage
Continue to use 22899 for Medicare kyphoplasty claims
Practices billing for percutaneous kyphoplasty must still rely [...] - Know Your Neuroendoscopy Codes
CPT added six codes to describe neuroendoscopy in 2003:
+ 62160 - Neuroendoscopy, intracranial, for [...] - NCCI Update:
Watch for New Excision, Arthrodesis Bundles
Modifier -59 can still provide for separate billing, when necessary
If you're billing arthrodesis, you should [...] - You Be the Coder:
How Should You Report Bone Healing Stimulator?
Question: Our physician inserted a bone healing stimulator. How should we report this service?
Washington, D.C., [...] - Don't Miss Out on 69990 Reimbursement Opportunities
Take the step of checking NCCI before reporting operating microscope
If you're [...] - Coding Brief:
Medicare Follows Private-Payer Lead on PET Scan Coding
You can finally ditch the HCPCS G codes when reporting positron emission tomography (PET) scans [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Read Entire Op Note Before Coding Vertebroplasty
Question: The surgeon performed a complete T7 and partial T6 corpectomy with vertebroplasty, followed by [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Look to CPT for Facet Joint Instructions
Question: Is it appropriate to use modifier -50 for bilateral facet joint injections (64470-64476)? If [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Choose POS 21 for Inpatient
Question: We rushed a patient into surgery from the emergency department. The physician did not [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Written Consult Request Isn't Mandatory
Question: We've heard conflicting information about the requirement for a written request before our surgeon [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Observation Status Is Outpatient
Question: When providing a consult for a patient admitted to observation, should we report the [...] - READER QUESTIONS:
Report 1 Unit for Neurostim Laminectomy
Question: Recently, I reported 63655 x 3 (levels T10-T11-T12) for laminectomies to place neurostimulator electrodes. [...]
