Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: My podiatrist performs a lot of heel spur surgeries, but I’m confused about the differences between the codes that I would use to report the procedures. Can you help me?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: If your podiatrist performs surgery for a heel spur, you have three different CPT^® codes to choose from. They are as follows:

• Code 28118: If your podiatrist excises a heel spur and removes a part of the calcaneus, you should report 28118 (Ostectomy, calcaneus).
• Code 28119: If your podiatrist performs an ostectomy, calcaneus for spur with or without a fascial release to excise the spur, you should report 28119 (Ostectomy, calcaneus; for spur, with or without plantar fascial release). Note: Report 28119 regardless of whether your podiatrist made release incisions on the stressed or irritated plantar fascia. You should also check the operative note to confirm any fasciotomy your podiatrist performed.
• Code 20551: If your podiatrist gives the patient a corticosteroid injection in his foot that includes both the plantar fascia and the area around the heel spur to reduce inflammation, you should report 20551 (Injection(s); single tendon origin/insertion) for the injection, along with the appropriate J codes for the medication.

So, for example, if you read in the medical documentation that your podiatrist excised a heel spur and removed a part of the calcaneus, you should report 28118.