sinman0531
Guru
Hello everyone,
I have a surgeon emailing regarding coding that was done, and I want to have documentation/literature of the correct coding for some things before I reply.
For example, he did a knee reconstruction and claimed he performed "bilateral knee flaps", that is, medial and lateral flaps; but sometimes he also documents "bilateral" as inferior and superior on other parts of the body.
The only assistance I have found in determining if this type of documentation warrants one or two flap codes is in an article talking about hernia repairs; specifically in that article it references that only one unit of 15734 can be coded for each side of the midline. However I am not sure if that extends to all of the codes, or is limited to 15734.
I have a surgeon emailing regarding coding that was done, and I want to have documentation/literature of the correct coding for some things before I reply.
- fasciocutaneous flaps (15733-15738); in almost every single surgery, my providers "suggest" bilateral fasciocutaneous flaps, and the documentation looks something like this:
We continued on to elevate bilateral fasciocutaneous advancement flaps with the Bovie measuring 3 x 2 cm each. Both flaps were then advanced and inset together.
For example, he did a knee reconstruction and claimed he performed "bilateral knee flaps", that is, medial and lateral flaps; but sometimes he also documents "bilateral" as inferior and superior on other parts of the body.
The only assistance I have found in determining if this type of documentation warrants one or two flap codes is in an article talking about hernia repairs; specifically in that article it references that only one unit of 15734 can be coded for each side of the midline. However I am not sure if that extends to all of the codes, or is limited to 15734.