Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: The physician saw a patient for cervical and lumbar problems and provided manual manipulation to both areas. Can we code CPT 97140 more than once per session?

South Dakota Subscriber

Answer: Yes, you can possibly report 97140 (Manual therapy techniques [e.g., mobilization/manipulation, manual lymphatic drainage,manual traction], 1 or more regions, each 15 minutes) more than once per session, depending on the circumstances. Code 97140 is time based, so you report based on the length of treatment time instead of the number of regions treated. You can add 97140 to your claim for each 15 minutes of treatment.