Radiology Coding Alert

If your facility has had trouble receiving reimbursement for the guidance codes associated with vertebroplasty procedures, don't blame yourself.

In its final update to the 2002 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) posted several changes on July 31, 2002. Among the changes, they note that the 2001 Fee Schedule contained a glitch on the PC/TC indicator for vertebroplasty guidance.

For both codes 76012 (Radiological supervision and interpretation, percutaneous vertebroplasty, per vertebral body; under fluoroscopic guidance) and 76013 (... under CT guidance), "the related professional and technical portions of this service were deleted," the memo acknowledges.

As of Jan. 1, 2002, the problem should have been fixed, according to CMS. Carriers are instructed not to search for incorrect claims in 2001, "but should adjust those brought to their attention." See CMS Program Memorandum AB-02-112 for details.