Wiki can you bill fracture care for open fractures

[cpccoder2008]

My mind is drawing a blank. A patient comes in with a GSW to the shaft of the humerous. According the the diagnosis it would be coded as open because there is a foreign body in the fracture. Can you bill fracture care or would you bill out the E/M ??

Thanks

 

[banderson77]

I would bill out the E/M and the fracture with the E code for GSW

 

[GINACOLO]

What service are you providing for the patient? Will you be following the patient for the 90 days?

 

[cpccoder2008]

physician

I am billing for the physician and so far the patient does not require surgery to have it fixed or to have the foreign body removed. And yes we will be providing follow up treatment for up to 90 days as most patients.

 

[FTessaBartels]

Code what was performed

Physicians should document what they did. Coders should code what was documented.

Without seeing the actual documentation I cannot tell you what the correct code(s) is(are) to use. All I can tell you is to code what was documented.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[cpccoder2008]

When a patient is seen in ortho clinic for fractures our doctors code the fracture care. My question was can i bill fracture care for open fractures ?? I would say no because i cannot find anything saying you can. Every article i find is on fracture care and referring to closed fractures. The doctor did not do anything but order x-rays, reviewed them, bandaged the wound and placed in split and told to follow up and will continue to follow up with patient for up to 90 days.