Orthopedic Coding Alert

New 2003 ICD-9 Codes

Although Medicare will accept these codes beginning Oct. 1, carriers must still process claims using the old codes and definitions through Dec. 31. The additions that will most affect orthopedic practices follow.

New Subheading Other Orthopedic Aftercare

The new codes in this category (V54.1, Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture) follow:

  • V54.10 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of arm, unspecified
  • V54.11 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of upper arm
  • V54.12 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of lower arm
  • V54.13 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of hip
  • V54.14 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of leg, unspecified
  • V54.15 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of upper leg
  • V54.16 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of lower leg
  • V54.17 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of vertebrae
  • V54.19 Aftercare for healing traumatic fracture of other bone.

    New Subcategory

    The new subcategory, V54.2 (Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture), includes the following codes:

  • V54.20 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of arm, unspecified
  • V54.21 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of upper arm
  • V54.22 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of lower arm
  • V54.23 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of hip
  • V54.24 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of leg, unspecified
  • V54.25 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of upper leg
  • V54.26 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of lower leg
  • V54.27 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of vertebrae

     

  • V54.29 Aftercare for healing pathologic fracture of other bone.

    Additional New Codes

  • V54.81 Aftercare following joint replacement (Use additional code to identify joint replacement site, V43.60-V43.69)

     

  • V54.89 Other orthopedic aftercare (such as aftercare for healing fracture NOS). This replaces most of the conditions formerly classifiable to V54.8, such as change of external fixation device, change of plaster cast, and change of external splint.

     

  • V58.78 Aftercare following surgery of the musculoskeletal system (for conditions classifiable to 710-739)

     

  • 813.45 Torus fracture of radius

     

  • 823.40 Torus fracture of tibia

     

  • 823.41 Torus fracture of fibula

     

  • 823.42 Torus fracture of tibia, with fibula.

    Deleted Code

    V54.8, Other orthopedic aftercare, is listed as an "invalid diagnosis code" for 2003 because most of the conditions that it used to describe now have their own individual ICD-9 codes.

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