Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question When doing arthroscopic synovectomy (29876) in all three compartments in the knee, can the chondroplasty in the patellofemoral (29877) be billed together?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer Based on the information provided, to report the synovectomy in the medial and the lateral compartments and chondroplasty in the patella-femoral compartment, you select code 29876 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; synovectomy, major, 2 or more compartments (eg, medial or lateral) and 29877 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; debridement/shaving of articular cartilage (chondroplasty)), -59 (Distinct procedural service).

If the patient is Medicare primary, you report 29876 and G0289 (Arthroscopy, knee, surgical, for removal of loose body, foreign body, debridement/shaving of articular cartilage (chrondroplasty) at the time of other surgical knee arthroscopy in a different compartment of the same knee).