Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Wait until you've seen the whole op note before assigning osteotomy code. Getting a lot of denials for your hallux valgus corrections, and you swear you're pinpointing the right procedure in your coding book? You could be dealing with double osteotomies--which means there's another hidden procedure in the op report that you're missing. If this is the case, your first step is to become familiar with synonyms for common bunionectomy procedures so you can easily spot a second osteotomy. For example, 28296 (Correction, hallux valgus [bunion], with or without sesamoidectomy; with metatarsal osteotomy [e.g., Mitchell, Chevron, or concentric type procedures]) is also known as an Austin procedure. Doctors might also refer to it as a metatarsal osteotomy. Another common hallux valgus correction with multiple names is 28298 (... by phalanx osteotomy). Podiatrists may also call it a great toe osteotomy, an Aiken osteotomy, a proximal phalangeal or phalangeal osteotomy, a [...]