Code | Description |
---|---|
20610 | ARTHROCENTESIS, ASPIRATION AND/OR INJECTION, MAJOR JOINT OR BURSA (EG, SHOULDER, HIP, KNEE, SUBACROMIAL BURSA); WITHOUT ULTRASOUND GUIDANCE |
If the provider aspirates/injects the joint/bursa without guidance of any kind, select from among 20600, 20605 and 20610. CPT® allows you to separately report fluoroscopic, CT or MRI guidance for needle placement during joint/bursa aspiration/injection, when performed.
These are the only procedure where the CPT codes the ASC facility and the physician will bill may differ – codes are 27096 OR G0260.
Types of knee injection
The CPT code 20611 is for an arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa (e.g., shoulder, hip, knee or subacromial bursa with ultrasound guidance, with permanent recording and reporting).
If the provider performs joint aspiration/injection with US guidance, select 20604, 20606 or 20611 (depending on the joint targeted). If the provider aspirates/injects the joint/bursa without guidance of any kind, select from among 20600, 20605 and 20610.
Use 20610 for a major joint or bursa, such as the shoulder, knee, or hip joint, or the subacromial bursa when no ultrasound guidance is used for needle placement. Report 20611 when ultrasonic guidance is used and a permanent recording is made with a report of the procedure.
Answer: You would report CPT 20610 (Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection, major joint or bursa (e.g., shoulder, hip, knee, subacromial bursa); without ultrasound guidance) for the injection and CPT 77002 for the fluoroscopic guidance which can be reported in addition to the injection.
The new HCPC code, J7325, is reported for both Synvisc and Synvisc One, the injection code is easy, and so we will start there— Bill using CPT 20610. The reporting of Synvisc is dependent on what drug you are using. Synvisc One: is a concentrated dose, is only administered one time and is reported with 48 units.
Knee injection is a procedure in which medications are injected into the knee joint to treat the pain due to various causes. There are different types of knee injections. The most common type of intra-articular knee injection is corticosteroids.
Indicate which knee was injected by using the RT (right) or LT (left) modifier (FAO-10 electronically) on the injection procedure (CPT 20610). Place the CPT code 20610 in item 24D. If the drug was administered bilaterally, a -50 modifier should be used with 20610.
The procedure code (CPT code) 20610 or 20611 (with ultrasound guidance) may be billed for the intra-articular injection in addition to the drug. If an aspiration and an injection procedure are performed at the same session, bill only one unit for CPT code 20610 or 20611 (if applicable).
Answer: Unfortunately, no. It is true that an evaluation and management code, an E/M or office visit, can be reported with a minor procedure such as an injection, but only if the E/M is significant and separate and exceeds the “pre-service evaluation” that is inherent to the injection.
Only the injection code (20610) and the J code for the cortisone should be billed to Medicare.
CPT codes 64479 and 64483 are used to report a single level injection. CPT codes 64480 and 64484 represent each additional level, respectively and should be reported separately in addition to the primary procedure when applicable.
Bilateral primary osteoarthritis of knee M17. 0 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM M17. 0 became effective on October 1, 2021.
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Purified natural hyaluronates have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee in patients who have failed to respond to simple analgesics or conservative nonpharmacologic therapy.
Note: Diagnosis codes must be coded to the highest level of specificity.
Contractors may specify Bill Types to help providers identify those Bill Types typically used to report this service. Absence of a Bill Type does not guarantee that the article does not apply to that Bill Type.
Contractors may specify Revenue Codes to help providers identify those Revenue Codes typically used to report this service. In most instances Revenue Codes are purely advisory. Unless specified in the article, services reported under other Revenue Codes are equally subject to this coverage determination.
Use code 20610 for an Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection; major joint or bursa (eg, shoulder, hip, knee joint, subacromial bursa). Use this code if an SI Joint Injection is done without any imaging (instead of 27096 or G0260)
For example, when a small joint or bursa arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection (CPT code 20600) is performed, anesthesia may be provided by the surgeon using a digital nerve block (CPT code 64450). Because this type of anesthesia provided by the surgeon performing the procedure is not separately payable, CPT code 64450 is bundled into CPT code 20600 when the same physician performs both procedures.
This section states that no payment shall be made to any provider for any claims that lack the necessary information to process the claim.
As of January 1, 2015, there is a coding change to the arthrocentesis injection codes (20600 – 20611). The codes are now separated to reflect an injection/aspiration with or without ultrasound guidance. The coding corner below will demonstrate an example of this change.
Procedure code guidelines are that if a surgical arthroscopy is performed on the same joint when a Joint Manipulation and/or Joint Injection are performed in the same case, only the scope procedure is billable.
Arthrocentesis, aspiration and/or injection (20600, 20605, 20610) is a covered service under the Medicare program when performed by a physician/ non-physician practitioner ( NPP) in compliance with state laws, within their scope of practice/training and within the accepted standards of medical practice.