Orthopedic Coding Alert

Beware of modifier 51 for add-on procedures.Add-on codes can augment your payment for additional procedures that your surgeon does; if you're omitting or adding these improperly, chances are you're losing deserved pay with every claim. Read on for a refresher on reporting the base code and accurately documenting the indication and the procedure for add-ons to unblock jammed payment. .Don't Overlook Primary ProcedureRemember that an add-on code cannot be a standalone code. You will need an accompanying primary procedure code. An add-on code hence is indicative of an additional intraservice work that your clinician does in a single session or patient encounter. An example is the add-on code +29826 (Arthroscopy, shoulder, surgical; decompression of subacromial space with partial acromioplasty, with coracoacromial ligament [i.e. arch] release, when performed [List separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) for shoulder arthroscopy. Some common arthroscopic primary procedures include the arthroscopic distal clavicle excision, [...]