Hello, here is a link regarding the billing of multiple injections into same shoulder joint:
http://intervalvular4.rssing.com/chan-3699660/all_p78.html
11/29/12 SuperCoder
"The CPT descriptor for 20610 reads: ?Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (e.g., shoulder, hip, knee joint, subacromial bursa).? The term ?and/or? in the description tells you the code ?includes the performance of one or all of the procedures described in the same major joint or bursa,? CPT explains. ?Therefore, code 20610 should only be reported one time when both aspiration and injection are performed in the same major joint or bursa? (CPT Assistant, March 2001).Similarly, for knee or hip injections, at least, you also may not report multiple units of 20610 for multiple injections into the same joint. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons? (AAOS) Coding Committee comments about separate reporting of injection codes to the shoulder during the same treatment session (e.g., 20610 to the glenohumeral joint and 20605 to the acromioclavicular joint). In general, they agreed that separate billing could be warranted if separate needles were used. In the shoulder, the AC and GH joints are separated by the joint capsule. By contrast, in the knee, once the solution is injected it will cover the medial, lateral and patellofemoral compartments."
Unless the requirements above are met, 20610 should only be billed 1x per joint.
The drug code cannot be billed with modifier 50. It should be billed on one line with the appropriate total units. One unit would be 40 mg for J1030. J1040 is for 80 mg. The HCPCS book lists the specific drug names associated with each of these codes.
I hope this information is helpful.
Jean Kayser CPC CIRCC