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Orthopedic Coding Alert

You Be the Coder:

Fracture Codes Often Include Fixation

Published on Thu Apr 19, 2007

Question: Our surgeon performed a closed reduction with percutaneous fixation of a metatarsal fracture. I am planning to report 28475 and 28476. Is this accurate?


Pennsylvania Subscriber


Answer: No, you should report only 28476 (Percutaneous skeletal fixation of metatarsal fracture, with manipulation, each) for this service. This code includes the fracture repair, the manipulation and the percutaneous fixation.

Code 28475 (Closed treatment of metatarsal fracture; with manipulation, each) refers to the surgeon's use of manipulation to treat the fracture, but because that services is already included in 28476, you should not report both codes.

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