Orthopedic Coding Alert

Hand:

Think Twice Before Appending Modifier 22 to This Hand Surgery Case

Look for clues in the op note to signal the surgeon’s extra work. Little-known fact: You can’t automatically code additional procedures when your surgeon documents an artery exploration and dissection during hand surgery. Dissection of a mass from an artery or nerve is included in the mass excision codes and is not separately reportable. Check out the following op note, [...]
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