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HealthCare Business Monthly article "Approach Matters for Spinal Arthrodesis"
The surgery scenario in this article does not support the billing of the corpectomy code 63081. Primarily because the operative report does not meet the definition of 63081:
The surgery scenario in this article does not support the billing of the corpectomy code 63081. Primarily because the operative report does not meet the definition of 63081:
Operative Report states: "a partial C5 corpectomy (30-40 percent) was performed , as the disk fragments had migrated inferiorly behind the C5 body, to safely retrieve the fragments to ensure that all the disk fragments were removed."
63081 CPT code Description: "Vertebral corpectomy (vertebral body resection), partial or complete, anterior approach with decompression of spinal cord and/or nerve roots; cervical single segment"
According to CPT Assistant, April 2016; Volume 26, Issue 4, a cervical spine requires 50% of the vertebral body removed and the thoracic and lumbar requires at least 30% of the vertebral body removed. A copy of this CPT Assistant response is attached, along with an article on insertion of biomechanical devices.
Corpectomy surgery is a high risk procedure because the bone that surrounds the patient's spinal cord for protection is being removed either partially or completely. Taking out the vertebral body to remove disk fragments seems to be an extreme measure; especially for a herniated disk and no other medical necessity information documented. Arthritis, cervical spine stenosis are typical types of reasons a corpectomy is done.
I just wanted to point this out because of risk to patients. If I am wrong, please speak up. Thanks for reading.
According to CPT Assistant, April 2016; Volume 26, Issue 4, a cervical spine requires 50% of the vertebral body removed and the thoracic and lumbar requires at least 30% of the vertebral body removed. A copy of this CPT Assistant response is attached, along with an article on insertion of biomechanical devices.
Corpectomy surgery is a high risk procedure because the bone that surrounds the patient's spinal cord for protection is being removed either partially or completely. Taking out the vertebral body to remove disk fragments seems to be an extreme measure; especially for a herniated disk and no other medical necessity information documented. Arthritis, cervical spine stenosis are typical types of reasons a corpectomy is done.
I just wanted to point this out because of risk to patients. If I am wrong, please speak up. Thanks for reading.