Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: Our doctor injected our patient with 10 mg Kenalog each on both feet. Should I bill J3301 twice or just once with two units?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer: You should bill J3301 (Injection, triamcinolone acentonide, not otherwise specified, per 10mg) just once. You need to append modifier 50 (Bilateral procedure), however.

Here's why: You should use modifier 50 for bilateral procedures your podiatrist performs on identical anatomic sites, aspects, or organs. Since your doctor administered the Kenalog injection twice on identical parts of the body -- the left foot and right foot -- he performed the procedure bilaterally. Therefore, you need to append modifier 50.