Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: Our clinic performed minor surgery on a patient to remove a metal fragment from the top of his right foot. I'm not sure which codes I should use but I'm thinking it might be a code in the 28020-28024 series. Can you help? Georgia Subscriber Answer: The code you'll report for this foreign body removal procedure will depend on where the fragment was. If your podiatrist surgically removed the metal fragment from the joints, the appropriate code would be one of the 28020-28024 series codes, depending on which joint the injury was closest to, as follows: • 28020 -- Arthrotomy, including exploration, drainage, or removal of loose or foreign body; intertarsal or tarsometatarsal joint; • 28022 -- ... metatarsophalangeal joint; and • 28024 -- ... interphalangeal joint. Alternative: If your podiatrist removed a fragment outside of the joint area, you may use any of the following codes, depending on the depth. You [...]