Only report primary procedure – except for 99455 edits.

The latest version of the National Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits went into effect October 1, and introduced a slew of pairings involving two new Category III “T” codes for transforaminal epidural injections:

• 0228T – Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with ultrasound guidance, cervical or thoracic; single level
• 0230T – Injection(s), anesthetic agent and/or steroid, transforaminal epidural, with ultrasound guidance, lumbar or sacral; single level.

Explanation: “The new Category III codes 0228T-0231T have added the addition of ultrasound guidance to transforaminal epidural injections,” says Susan Vogelberger, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-I, CMBS, CCP-P, CEO of Healthcare Consulting and Coding Education in Boardman, Ohio. “That will eliminate the need to code the ultrasound independently.” The existing, Category I codes for transforaminal epidural injections of anesthetic and/or steroids (64479-64484) include only the injection itself.

Even Simple Procedures Rule With NME Edits

CCI classifies the bulk of edits involving 0228T and 0230T as non-mutually exclusive.

No breakage: The rationale behind the new bundling edits falls to “standards of medical/surgical practice.” Most edits carry a modifier indicator of “0,” which means you cannot break the edit with a modifier and report both codes during a single encounter.

Examples of common procedures that override the accompanying 0228T or 0230T codes include:

• Incision and drainage (such as 10060, Incision and drainage of abscess (e.g., carbuncle, suppurative hidradenitis, cutaneous or subcutaneous abscess, cyst, furuncle, or paronychia); simple or single)
• Foreign body removal (such as 10120, Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple) Lesion paring (such as 11055, Paring or cutting of benign hyperkeratonic lesion (e.g., corn or callus); single lesion)
• Skin tag removal (beginning with 11200, Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area; up to and including 15 lesions)
• Lesion shaving (including 11300,

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