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Orthopedic Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Remember That Global Starts Post-Procedure

Published on Thu Mar 24, 2011

Question: An established patient with degenerative scoliosis reports to the orthopedist for an E/M visit. Notes indicate that it was a preoperative visit to prepare the patient for cervical laminoplasty surgery (the service occurred 48 hours before the surgery). Encounter notes also indicate a level three E/M service. Is this E/M part of the global period for the laminoplasty?Minnesota SubscriberAnswer: It depends on the insurer. Some will not allow you to bill for this visit, though others will. If the carrier does cover the preoperative visit, report the following:99213 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: an expanded problem focused history; an expanded problem focused examination; medical decision making of low complexity ...) ...) for the E/M737.30 (Curvature of spine; kyphoscoliosis and scoliosis; scoliosis [and kyphoscoliosis], idiopathic) appended to 99213 to represent the [...]
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