Wiki A shoulder disaster

[Desperate Denise]

I lied - I have one more shoulder

DX: AC jt OA, partial thickness articular sided rotator cuff tear, impingement syndrome, chondromalacia and labral tear, adhesions in the anterior capsule

PROC: Lysis of adhesions, debride labrum and chondroplasty, subac decomp, debridement of rotator cuff tear, distal clavicle excision and partial synovectomy.

I coded it as 29826, 29824-51, 29825-51, 29822-51

How did I do? Questioning of 29823 should have been used instead of 29822.
Does anyone have a clear cut explanation of the "Back and front" - what does that constitute - which compartments, etc.???

Again this is BS.

Sorry I am just nervous now!!

 

[Desperate Denise]

Desperate D

Anyone got any ideas on this one? I am told the debridement falls under the distal clavicle excision by the AAOS coding people. Doc says to code 29826, 29824-51, 29823-59 and 29825-51?

Any thoughts - - -

Really appreciate it.

 

[kjstearns]

Without actually reading the whole op report, this is what I'm coming up with:

29826
29824-51
29823-59

The 29825 is bundled into all 3 of the above codes. 29823 is bundled into 29824, but you are able to bill it as long as the documentation supports it being un-bundled. I'm curious as to what others would think about this....

~Kirsten, CPC

 

[coderguy1939]

Here is an AAOS bulletin that will provide you with some valuable information regarding shoulder arthroscopies. You may want to review some of their archival material. It's been very helpful to me for all types of arthroscopies.

http://www2.aaos.org/aaos/archives/bulletin/apr04/code.htm

 

[Desperate Denise]

Kjstearns and coderguy

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction - really really appreciate it.

Thanks - DD