1. SuperCoder
   Posted 9 months ago #
   

   A physician is off and comes in to splint a patient's arm. The child came in with a fractured radius and alna. Can I use the codes for after hours and emergency disrupting office services?

2. SuperCoder
   Posted 9 months ago #
   

   For the splint application, you can code the associated splinting code:
   • 29105, Application of long arm splint (shoulder to hand)
   • 29125, Application of short arm splint (forearm to hand); static
   • 29126, Application of short arm splint (forearm to hand); dynamic

   You can use an EM-25 in addition to the cast application code if the physician evaluated the injury, reviewed the x-ray, etc before deciding to apply the cast. For the after hours, there used to be a code for a physician coming into provide services when he was out of the office. That code was deleted. Since the rationale still applies to the situation, add:
   • 99058 - Service(s) provided on an emergency basis in the office, which disrupts other scheduled office services, in addition to basic service

   Depending on your posted hours and the time the treatment occurred, you could also report 99050 (Services provided in the office a times other than regularly scheduled office hours, or days when the office is normally closed [e.g., holidays, Saturday or Sunday], in addition to basic service). Many insurers, however, will pay for only one special services code per claim.

   Jen Godreau, CPC, CPMA, CPEDC
   Director, SuperCoder.com
   The Coding Institute

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