Eli's Rehab Report

Question: If a therapist performs therapeutic modalities and uses "kinetron table" therapy, is this coded as CPT 97110 or CPT 97530 ?

Alabama Subscriber

Answer: Because the kinetron tablehelps the patient to perform resistive lower body strengthening exercises similar to a stair-stepping machine, this would be categorized as therapeutic exercises and would be coded more accurately with 97110 (Therapeutic procedure, one or more areas, each 15 minutes; therapeutic exercises to develop strength and endurance, range of motion and flexibility).

Code 97530 (Therapeutic activities, direct [one-on-one] patient contact by the provider [use of dynamic activities to improve functional performance], each 15 minutes) usually involves several areas (such as balance, strength, mobility, etc.) so the therapist can help a patient perform in a specific functional activity. For instance, if a therapist planned to teach a patient how to transfer from a wheelchair to a car, the therapist would determine exactly what types of activities would help that patient prepare for the transfer training. The activities would focus on the specific requirements for the transfers, such as balancing weight on one arm. Then, when the patient performed enough therapeutic activities to prepare them for work, the transfer training would be billed with 97535 (Self-care/home management training [e.g., activities of daily living (ADL) and compensatory training, meal preparation, safety procedures, and instructions in use of assistive technology devices/adaptive equipment] direct one-on-one contact by provider, each 15 minutes).