30 Orthopedic Procedures Added to Medicare ASC List in 2008 Which Are Advantageous to Perform

Orthopedics saw many new procedures added to the Medicare-approved ASC list for 2008. Here are 30 of those procedures which you may want to consider adding to your list of procedures performed at your ASC, as suggested by Stephanie Ellis, RN, CPC, president of Ellis Medical Consulting. Note: CPT codes are listed in bold; 2008 Medicare reimbursement rate in parentheses; procedure description is provided, with comments from Ms. Ellis in quotes.

1. 20150 ($1,779.62) — Excision of epiphyseal bar, with or without autogenous soft tissue graft obtained through same fascial incision.
2. 20552 ($22.14) — Trigger point injection of one to two muscles. “We recommend performing this as an add-on procedure only and not as the only procedure because of its low reimbursement.”
3. 20553 ($24.87) Trigger point injection of three or more muscles. “We recommend performing this as an add-on procedure only and not as the only procedure because of its low reimbursement.”
4. 20555 ($1,208.50) — Placement of needles or catheters into muscle and/or soft tissue for subsequent interstitial radioelement application (at the time of or subsequent to the procedure). “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
5. 20610 ($34.41) — Joint injection of shoulder, hip or knee. “We recommend performing this as an add-on procedure only and not as the only procedure because of its low reimbursement.”
6. 24149 ($1,208.50) — Radical resection of capsule, soft tissue, and heterotopic bone, elbow, with contracture release (separate procedure).
7. 24152 ($1,179.62) — Radical resection for tumor, radial head or neck.
8. 24153 ($3,288.25) — Radical resection for tumor, radial head or neck; with autograft (includes obtaining graft).
9. 24300 ($611.32) — Manipulation, elbow, under anesthesia.
10. 24343 ($1,208.50) — Repair lateral collateral ligament, elbow, with local tissue.
11. 24344 ($3,288.25) — Reconstruction lateral collateral ligament, elbow, with tendon graft (includes harvesting of graft).
12. 24346 ($1,779.62) — Reconstruction medial collateral ligament, elbow, with tendon graft (includes harvesting of graft).
13. 24357 ($1,208.50) — Tenotomy, elbow, lateral or medial (e.g., epicondylitis, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow); percutaneous. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
14. 24358 ($1,208.50) — Tenotomy, elbow, lateral or medial (e.g., epicondylitis, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow); debridement, soft tissue and/or bone, open. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
15. 24359 ($1,208.50) — Tenotomy, elbow, lateral or medial (e.g., epicondylitis, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow); debridement, soft tissue and/or bone, open with tendon repair or reattachment. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
16. 25109 ($880.55) — Excision of tendon, forearm and/or wrist, flexor or extensor, each.
17. 25431 ($1,089.28) — Repair of nonunion of carpal bone (excluding carpal scaphoid (navicular)) (includes obtaining graft and necessary fixation), each bone.
18. 25651 ($1,083.02) — Percutaneous skeletal fixation of ulnar styloid fracture.
19. 25652 ($1,701.96) — Open treatment of ulnar styloid fracture.
20. 27416 ($1,779.62) — Osteochondral autograft(s), knee, open (e.g., mosaicplasty) (includes harvesting of autograft[s]).
21. 27440 ($1,486.46) — Arthroplasty, knee, tibial plateau.
22. 27446 ($11,371.67) — Partial knee replacement/Arthroplasty of the condyle and plateau; medial OR lateral compartment.
23. 27769 ($1,701.96) — Open treatment of posterior malleolus fracture, includes internal fixation, when performed. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
24. 29828 ($1,892.32) — Arthroscopic shoulder biceps tenodesis. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
25. 29866 ($1,892.32) — Arthroscopy, knee, surgical; osteochondral autograft(s) (e.g., mosaicplasty) (includes harvesting of the autograft[s]).
26. 29904 ($1,191.53) — Ankle arthroscopy, subtalar joint, with removal of loose body
27. or foreign body. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
28. 29905 ($1,191.53) — Ankle arthroscopy, subtalar joint, with synovectomy. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
29. 29906 ($1,191.53) — Ankle arthroscopy, subtalar joint, with debridement. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”
30. 29907 ($1,892.32) — Ankle arthroscopy, subtalar joint, with subtalar arthrodesis. “This is a new CPT code for 2008.”

Note: CPT codes are copyright by the American Medical Association.

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