Wiki RFA Coding

[kfrycpc]

Hi all,

I'm a little confused when it comes to coding certain pain management injections.

Our doctor did the following:

LEFT L3 Medical Branch RFA (CPT 64635)
LEFT L4 Medial Branch RFA (CPT 64636)
LEFT L5 Medial Branch RFA (CPT 64636)

Would I bill all 3 codes? What confuses me is the two 64636 but since it's a different nerve, than I'm thinking it's ok to bill 3?

This is a little new to me!

Thanks, Kellie

 

[LisaAlonso23]

You are correct.

64635 is for the first lumbar or sacral facet joint injection.

64636 is for each additional lumbar or sacral facet joint injection.

Based on your information, you would bill:

64635
64636 x 2

 

[marvelh]

Actually the coding for facet joint destruction is based on the joint, not on each individual nerve. This coding methodology changed with the new 64633-64636 codes in 2012.

If the physician did RF ablation of L3, L4 and L5 facet joint nerves, this would be coded as two facet joint levels or
64635 x 1 and
64636 x 1