Compliance with the provisions in LCD L33912, Injection of Trigger Points may be monitored and addressed through post payment data analysis and subsequent medical review audits. The following ICD-10-CM codes support medical necessity and provide limited coverage for CPT codes: 20552 and 20553.
Its billing under the trigger point injection code is a misrepresentation of the actual service rendered. Only one code from 20552 or 20553 should be reported on any particular day, no matter how many sites or regions are injected.
This contractor may request records when it is apparent that patients are requiring a significant number of injections to manage their pain. These are the only covered ICD-10-CM codes that support medical necessity. This A/B MAC will assign the following ICD-10-CM codes to indicate the diagnosis of a trigger point.
The submitted CPT/HCPCS code must describe the service performed. The medical record must clearly indicate the number of injections given per session and the site (s) injected. Furthermore, the medical record must clearly document the medical necessity for repeated injections of trigger point (s).
Group 1CodeDescription20552INJECTION(S); SINGLE OR MULTIPLE TRIGGER POINT(S), 1 OR 2 MUSCLE(S)20553INJECTION(S); SINGLE OR MULTIPLE TRIGGER POINT(S), 3 OR MORE MUSCLES
20552-Injection(s); single or multiple trigger point(s), 1 or 2 muscle(s)
A Medicare beneficiary must be diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), which is a chronic pain disorder, in order for Medicare to cover trigger point injections. A doctor or provider will review the beneficiary's medical history and complete an exam of the patient to make this diagnosis.
For trigger point injections, use code 20552 for one or two muscle groups injected, or 20553 for three or more muscle groups. The number of services for either code is one (1), regardless of the number of injections at any individual site, and regardless of the number of sites.
When coding for trigger point injections, the documentation must include the site of the injection, the total number of injections and the number of muscles involved. In addition, documentation must also support that various conservative therapies have been tried and failed.
Effective March 1, 2017, Any combination of trigger point injections, CPT codes 20552 (Injection(s); single or multiple trigger point(s), 1 or 2 muscle(s)) and 20553 (Injection(s); single or multiple trigger point(s), 3 or more muscles), when billed >3 times in a 90-day period, for the same anatomic site, without ...
CPT Code 76942, Ultrasonic guidance for needle placement (e.g., biopsy, aspiration, injection and localization device), imaging supervision and interpretation, is an appropriate code for certain procedures when performed. In these cases, the primary injection code is billed in addition to 76942 for ultrasound guidance.
62323. Injection(s), of diagnostic or therapeutic substance(s) (eg, anesthetic, antispasmodic, opioid, steroid, other solution), not including. neurolytic substances, including needle or catheter placement, interlaminar epidural or subarachnoid, lumbar or sacral (caudal); with. imaging guidance (ie, fluoroscopy or ct)
CPT code 20550 should be reported once per cord injected regardless of how many injections per session. For the initial evaluation and injection, the appropriate E&M code (with modifier 25) may be submitted with the injection code.
The office visit is allowed and should be billed with the modifier -25 because the decision to give the injections was made after the examination.
CPT® code 96372: Injection of drug/substance under skin or into muscle.
27096 – Injection procedure for Sacroiliac Joint, Arthrography and/or Anesthetic/Steroid G0260 – Injection procedure for Sacroiliac Joint; provision of anesthetic, steroid and/or other therapeutic agent, with or without Arthrography to be billed by ASC facilities ONLY.
Trigger point injection therapy is a common procedure performed by pain management specialists, orthopedic surgeons, physical medicine and rehab and other specialties. Trigger point injection therapy is used for the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.
Up to 4 sets of injections are considered medically necessary to diagnose the origin of the patient’s pain and to achieve a therapeutic effect; additional sets of trigger point injections are not considered medically necessary if not clinical response is achieved.
There are two CPT ® codes for Trigger point injections: 20552-Injection (s); single or multiple trigger point (s), 1 or 2 muscle (s) ...
Conservative treatment includes: Medications including the use of analgesics and adjunctive medications, including anti-depressants shown to be effective in management of chronic pain. Physical therapy modalities, heat and cold therapy, passive range of motion, and deep muscle massage. Activity modification. Home exercise.
MPS is a chronic condition affecting the connective tissue (i.e., fascia) surrounding the muscles; sensitive points in your muscles (trigger points) cause referred pain in seemingly unrelated parts of the body. MPS typically occurs after a muscle has been contracted repetitively.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) does not have a National Carrier Determination (NCD), but many of the CMS Medicare contractors have LCDs (Local Carrier Determination) as well as many commercial carriers have medical policies for trigger point injections. It is important to review your payer policies when performing these services as ...
Deborah Grider has 35 years of industry experience and is a recognized national speaker, consultant, and American Medical Association author who has been working with ICD-10 since 1990 and is the author of Preparing for ICD-10, Making the Transition Manageable, Principles of ICD-10, the ICD-10 Workbook, Medical Record Auditor, and Coding with Modifiers for the AMA. She is a senior healthcare consultant with Karen Zupko & Associates. Deborah is also the 2017 American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Literacy Legacy Award recipient. She is a member of the ICD10monitor editorial board and a popular panelist on Talk Ten Tuesdays.
Myofascial trigger points are self-sustaining hyperirritative foci that may occur in any skeletal muscle in response to strain produced by acute or chronic overload. These trigger points produce a referred pain pattern characteristic for that individual muscle. Each pattern becomes part of a single muscle myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) ...
It is expected that trigger point injections would not usually be performed more often than three sessions in a three month period.
The diagnosis of trigger points requires a detailed history and thorough physical examination. The following clinical symptoms may be present when making the diagnosis: History of onset of the painful condition and its presumed cause (e.g., injury or sprain)
Local taut response to snapping palpation. Reproduction of referred pain pattern upon stimulation of trigger point. The goal is to treat the cause of the pain and not just the symptom of pain. Limitations. Acupuncture is not a covered service, even if provided for the treatment of an established trigger point.
Acupuncture is not a covered service, even if provided for the treatment of an established trigger point. Use of acupuncture needles and/or the passage of electrical current through these needles is not covered (whether an acupuncturist or other provider renders the service). Medicare does not cover Prolotherapy.
deep muscle massage; injection of local anesthetic into the muscle trigger points: as the initial or the only therapy when a joint movement is mechanically blocked, as is the case of coccygeus muscle, or when a muscle cannot be stretched fully, as is the case of the lateral pterygoid muscle;
20553 Injection (s); single or multiple trigger point (s), 3 or more muscle (s) Trigger Point Injections are used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax. Trigger points may irritate the nerves around them and cause pain at the site of the trigger point or ...
Myofascial trigger points are self-sustaining hyper-irritative foci that may occur in any skeletal muscle in response to strain produced by acute or chronic overload. These trigger points produce a referred pain pattern characteristic for that individual muscle. Each pattern becomes part of a single muscle myofascial pain syndrome (MPS); each of these single muscle syndromes is responsive to appropriate treatment. To successfully treat chronic myofascial pain syndrome, each single muscle syndrome needs to be identified along with every perpetuating factor.
CPT/HCPCS Codes. 20552 Injection (s); single or multiple trigger point (s), one or two muscle (s) 20553 single or multiple trigger point (s), three ...
Trigger point injections involve injection of local anesthetic, saline, dextrose, and/or cortisone into the trigger point.
stretch and use of coolant spray followed by hot packs and/or aerobic exercises; application of low intensity ultrasound directed at the trigger point (this approach is used when the trigger point is otherwise inaccessible); deep muscle massage; injection of local anesthetic into the muscle trigger points:
Trigger points are areas of taut muscle bands or palpable knots of the muscle, that are painful on compression and can produce referred pain, referred tenderness, and/or motor dysfunction. A trigger point may occur in any skeletal muscle/fascia in response to strain produced by acute or chronic overload.
Three injections were given into the right shoulder (no specific muscle noted). This is counted as 1 unit of 20552. Four injections into the right gluteus maximus and two into the right biceps femoris were administered is counted as two muscles or 20552.
Those knots are referred to as trigger points and they can be very painful. As a matter of fact, a trigger point (TP) in one area can cause surrounding muscles to tighten or spasm, increasing pain and discomfort for the patient. Over-the-counter pain medications, anti-inflammatories, or even a good massage, may help to alleviate some symptoms, ...
The TPs are injected with either a numbing agent, steroid, or another substance used to relax or decrease inflammation within the knotted muscle.
CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2021 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply.
Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, Section 1833 (e) states that no payment shall be made to any provider of services or other person under this part unless there has been furnished such information as may be necessary in order to determine the amounts due such provider or other person under this part for the period with respect to which the amounts are being paid or for any prior period..
This Billing and Coding Article provides billing and coding guidance for Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L35010, Trigger Point Injections. Please refer to the LCD for reasonable and necessary requirements.
It is the provider’s responsibility to select codes carried out to the highest level of specificity and selected from the ICD-10-CM code book appropriate to the year in which the service is rendered for the claim (s) submitted. The following ICD-10 CM codes support medical necessity and provide coverage for CPT/HCPCS codes 20552 and 20553:
All those not listed under the “ICD-10 Codes that Support Medical Necessity” section of this policy.
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.
CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2020 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply.
This First Coast Billing and Coding Article for Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L33912 Injection of Trigger Points provides billing and coding guidance for diagnosis limitations that support diagnosis to procedure code automated denials.
The following ICD-10-CM codes support medical necessity and provide limited coverage for CPT codes: 20552 and 20553.
All those not listed under the “ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity” section of this article.
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.
CPT codes, descriptions and other data only are copyright 2020 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/HHSARS apply.
The billing and coding information in this article is dependent on the coverage indications, limitations and/or medical necessity described in the associated Local Coverage Determination (LCD) L34588 Trigger Points, Local Injections.
The correct use of an ICD-10-CM code listed below does not assure coverage of a service. The service must be reasonable and necessary in the specific case and must meet the criteria specified in this determination.
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.