Coding Corner Question

A 68-year-old male established patient with osteoarthritis of the lumbar region returns for a scheduled paravertebral facet joint nerve injection.

The patient is currently on a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug and ranitidine and also takes glucosamine–chondroitin. He reports pain, stiffness, and swelling in his lower lumbar vertebrae, and he denies any other complaints.

Two facet paravertebral injections on L4 and L5 of the lumbar with intraarticular corticosteroid injection are performed, and a fluoroscopic guidance is done for the supervision of needle placement.

How would you code this?

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Billing and coding is not as easy as one might think. The rules are constantly changing—and the codes for facet joint injections, which have changed frequently over the years, are a prime example. To make sure your practice is in compliance, billers, coders, and physicians should remain informed of the correct coding guidelines for facet joint injections. No one in a physician’s practice should ever assume that, because they coded a procedure a certain way in years past, it is still the status quo. Every rheumatologist and his or her staff should understand the what, why, and where of facet joint injections.

Limited evidence and diagnostic options make this increasing condition difficult to treat

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