Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question: A podiatrist performed Austin bunionectomy on a patient's first toe. He performed arthroplasty on the second toe. Would I use 28296 twice to report the two procedures?

Montana Subscriber

Answer: No. Use 28296 [Correction, hallux valgus (bunion), with or without sesamoidectomy; with metatarsal osteotomy (eg, Mitchell, Chevron, or concentric type procedures)] to report Austin bunionectomy, and 28285 (Correction, hammertoe [e.g., interphalangeal fusion, partial or total phalangectomy]). CPT 28285 is not just for anthroplasty or bone work, but also for soft tissue (i.e., tenotomy and capsulotomy) correction of hammertoe.

Quick fact: A complex, biplanar, double-step cut osteotomy through the neck of the first metatarsal is also known as the Mitchell Chevron (Austin) procedure.