Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: Can I submit 29881 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy [medial OR lateral, including any meniscal shaving]) and 29877 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; debridement/shaving of articular cartilage [chondroplasty]) for medial meniscus debridement and trochlear groove chondroplasty?

New York Subscriber

Answer: According to the CCI edits, codes 29881 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; with meniscectomy [medial OR lateral, including any meniscal shaving]) and 29877 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; debridement/shaving of articular cartilage [chondroplasty]) are considered bundled and cannot be reported together. Some commercial carriers still accept 29877 with 29881. You may append modifier 59 (Distinct procedural Service:...) to 29877.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and CPT® permit this modifier when the chondroplasty is in another location of the knee that the meniscectomy is performed. Depending on the payer, you might be able to bill 29881 and G0289 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical, for removal of loose body, foreign body, debridement/shaving of articular cartilage [chondroplasty] at the time of other surgical knee arthroscopy in a different compartment of the same knee). This applies for Medicare & BCBS MA.