Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: A patient who presented with Morton's neuroma underwent a destruction of plantar digital nerve procedure. How should I bill the claim if the podiatrist used ultrasonic guidance for the destruction?

Florida Subscriber

Answer: If your podiatrist used ultrasonic guidance for either the nerve block (64455, Injection[s], anesthetic agent and/or steroid, plantar common digital nerve[s] [e.g., Morton's neuroma]) or destruction (64632, Destruction by neurolytic agent; plantar common digital nerve), you should add 76942 (Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement [e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection, localization device], imaging supervision and interpretation) to your claim.

Don't forget to append modifier 26 (Professional component) if the physician performed the procedure in a facility. You should report 76942 only once per region, regardless of how many injections your physician administers.

Important: To avoid any headaches when reporting 76942, make sure your physician includes documentation stating that he used fluoroscopic guidance for the procedure, detailing the procedure itself, as well as the materials, findings and your physician's impressions.