Wiki Pain code on Xray

[tcraig]

I have a very large orthopedic practice. When our patients come in we always do xrays. Since our MA closes out the xray order with the code of pain M25562 and the doctor reads the xray and codes it as osteo M1712 should i code the pain to the xray since it is not a definitive diagnosis until after the xray, which is a diagnostice tool, an then the osteo to the E/M or should i code osteo to both? Thank you

99203-M1712
73564-M25562 or

99203- M1712, M22562
73564- M1712, M22562

 

[Orthocoderpgu]

You would only link the pain diagnosis to the x-rays if the physician is unable to establish a diagnosis. In this case there is a diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the left knee. So M17.12 would be used on 99203 and 73564. Since knee pain is a common symptom of osteoarthritis, it is not used in billing.