Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: Can you help me to understand when I would report 20670 for an implant removal versus a 20680 removal? I don’t understand the difference between these two codes.

Nebraska Subscriber

Answer: Both 20670 (Removal of implant; superficial (eg, buried wire, pin or rod) (separate procedure)) and 20680 (Removal of implant; deep (eg, buried wire, pin, screw, metal band, nail, rod or plate)) are implant removal codes. The difference in these codes lies in the type of wound and he depth of the closure.

Code 20670: You should report 20670 for a superficial wound that has a simple closure requiring sutures or adhesive strips.

Code 20680: On the other hand, code 20680 typically involves going down through muscle layers and into the bone and requires a more complex, layered closure.

Implants defined: If a patient has a skeletal deformity or an injury like a fracture, then your podiatrist may use skeletal fixation devices such as pins, rods, or wires, to join skeletal parts and maintain their normal alignment as healing takes place. After the injury has healed, your podiatrist will remove the implant.