CPT® Assistant (August 2024): Clear away facet joint injection confusion


The American Medical Association (AMA) released the August 2024 CPT® Assistant. The main article this month focuses on the often-misunderstood topic of coding for facet joint injections. Specifically, the article looks at treating T12-L1 and L1-L2 during the same session. A helpful table provides coding examples.

To find all the articles from Volume 34, Issue 8, subscribers to Code Connect — Codify by AAPC’s CPT® Assistant search add-on — can check for these topics and codes when they log in:

  • Coding clarification, urodynamics: 51728, 51729, 51741, 51784
  • Coding correction, pulmonary valvuloplasty: 33745, 92990
  • Electroretinography: 92273, 92274, 0509T
  • Facet joint injection: 64490, 64494, 50

The August issue also includes a Questions and Answers section covering these topics and codes:

  • Digestive system:
    • Partial colectomy, ileostomy: 44145, 44146, 44187, 44208
  • Endocrine system:
    • Total thyroidectomy, neck dissections: 60252
  • Eye and ocular adnexa:
    • Open globe exploration: 67299
  • Female genital system:
    • Total abdominal hysterectomy, laparoscopic, mini-laparotomy: 58571, 58573
  • Integumentary system:
    • Tissue expander, replacement: 11970, 19357, 58, 78
  • Maternity care and delivery:
    • Cephalic version, ultrasound guidance: 59412
  • Moderate (conscious) sedation:
    • Two physicians, independent procedures, same procedure, sedation time
  • Musculoskeletal system:
    • Muscle-tendon transfer, arthroscopic-assisted: 23395
  • Nervous system:
    • Biologic sealant, spinal discs, minimally invasive: 64999
  • Neurology and neuromuscular procedures:
    • Montreal Cognitive Assessment, interpretation: 96116, 96121, 96132