Orthopedic Coding Alert

Our July article "Expect a Pay Cut When You Report 29873 With Other Surgeries" included a typographical error. Under the subheading "Multiple Procedure Rule Paid More," we noted that "If you bill 29873 with 29882 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscus repair [medial OR lateral]), your Medicare carrier will reimburse you using the full RVU allocation for 29883 (21.98 RVUs, or about $833)."

It should have said that if you bill 29873 with 29883 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscus repair [medial AND lateral]), the Medicare carrier will reimburse you using the full RVU allocation for 29883.

We have bolded the new content above, and we have made the correction on our online subscriber system at www.codinginstitute.com.

Thanks to Robert W. Westergan, MD, medical director at Jewett Orthopaedic Clinic in Winter Park, Fla., for catching the error.