Orthopedic Coding Alert

Have these modifiers handy to distinguish areas of the feet and toes. Don't let anatomic terminology trip up your foot and ankle claims. As long as you know the specifics of each condition in this category, you'll code foot and ankle services like an ace. Toe, foot and ankle problems can be caused by wear-and-tear, or by sudden injuries, such as those from jumping during sports. "You've got to know the differences between these diagnoses, or you may miss a subtle difference and assign the wrong code," says Heather Corcoran, coding manager at CGH Billing in Louisville, Ky. Coding tip: One thing to remember is that you might need modifiers to help differentiate work on different areas of the feet or toes, says Denise Paige, CPC, coding and billing manager at Beach Orthopedic Associates in Long Beach, Calif., and the president-elect of the AAPC's Long Beach Chapter. These modifiers include [...]