Orthopedic Coding Alert

Clue: Biopsy depth helps point you to the correct code. If bone biopsy coding trips you up, looking for three key items --location, procedure, and number -- can steer you toward full reimbursement for these common procedures. Our experts further demystify these procedures with the advices below. Identify the Right Location The most crucial component when reporting a bone biopsy is to know how deep your surgeon went. This should be fairly easy to determine from the operative note. Basic tip: The codes for bone biopsy describe the superficial and deep bones. The superficial bones are the ones that can be felt through the skin and the deep ones lie deeper under the muscles and are not felt easily through the skin. "The ilium, sternum, spinous process, trochanter of femur and ribs are superficial and the bones like humerus, ischium, femur and the vertebral bodies are deep," says Bill Mallon, [...]