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Radiology Coding Alert

Reader Question:

64479-+64484: Mystery (s) Explained

Published on Fri Jan 06, 2012

Question: Codes 64479-+64484 in the 2012 manual state "Injection," but in 2011 the same codes said "Injection(s)." What does this change mean?Colorado SubscriberAnswer: You should report these codes just as you did in 2011. The missing (s) on "Injection" is simply a typo in the 2012 manual. The AMA posted the correction in its Errata document at www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/cpt/cpt-corrections.pdf.The codes should appear as:64479, Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with imaging guidance (fluoroscopy or CT); cervical or thoracic, single level+64480, ... cervical or thoracic, each additional level (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)64483, ... lumbar or sacral, single level+64484, ... lumbar or sacral, each additional level (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure).Keep in mind: Codes 64479-+64484 represent unilateral procedures. So if the physician performs a bilateral injection at a single level, you may report a code for each side. For example, if the physician [...]
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