DRAFT LCD Reference Article Billing and Coding Article

Billing and Coding: Pain Management - injection of tendon sheaths, ligaments, ganglion cysts, carpal and tarsal tunnels

DA52863

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Source Article ID
A52863
Draft Article ID
DA52863
Original ICD-9 Article ID
Not Applicable
Draft Article Title
Billing and Coding: Pain Management - injection of tendon sheaths, ligaments, ganglion cysts, carpal and tarsal tunnels
Article Type
Billing and Coding
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ANTICIPATED 01/08/2025

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Article Text

This article contains coding and other guidelines that complement the Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Pain Management.

 Coding Information:

Procedure codes may be subject to National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits or OPPS packaging edits. Refer to NCCI and OPPS requirements prior to billing Medicare.

For services requiring a referring/ordering physician, the name and NPI of the referring/ordering physician must be reported on the claim.

A claim submitted without a valid ICD-10-CM diagnosis code will be returned to the provider as an incomplete claim under Section 1833(e) of the Social Security Act.

The diagnosis code(s) must best describe the patient's condition for which the service was performed.

All procedures related to pain management procedures performed by the physician/provider performed on the same day must be billed on the same claim.

Acupuncture, a non-covered service, prior to January 21, 2020, is reported with CPT codes 97810 – 97814. Effective January 21, 2020, Medicare will cover all types of acupuncture including dry needling for chronic low back pain within specific guidelines in accordance with NCD 30.3.3.

Injection of separate sites (tendon sheath, ligament or ganglion cyst) during the same encounter as trigger point injections should be reported on a separate line of coding and must have the modifier 59 appended. Multiple surgical rules will apply. Modifier 50 should not be reported with CPT codes 20551 or 20612, but may be reported, when appropriate, with CPT codes 20550 and 20526. For an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC), the appropriate site modifier (RT and/or LT) should be appended to indicate if the service was performed unilaterally or bilaterally. Bilateral services must be reported on separate lines using an RT and LT modifier (50 modifier should not be used).

Multiple injections per day, at the same site, are considered one injection and should be coded with one unit of service (NOS 001).

For claims submitted to the Part B MAC

HCPCS DRUG CODES
A claim for services rendered in the off-campus-outpatient hospital (19), inpatient hospital (21), on campus-outpatient hospital (22) or emergency room, hospital (23), ambulatory surgery center (24), skilled nursing facility for patients in a part A stay (31), comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation facility (61), and comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (62) must indicate the name of the drug and dosage in item 19 or the electronic equivalent. The HCPCS drug code and dose is not required when CPT 20612 is reported for aspiration and not for injection or when the ICD-10-CM codes reported are M77.11 or M77.12 and there is no injection.

The medication being injected, designated by an appropriate HCPCS drug code must be submitted on the same claim, same day of service as the claim for the procedure. Claims for local anesthetic should not be reported. The exceptions to this guideline are:

  • When services are rendered in places of services 19, 21, 22, 23, 61, and 62 there should be no claim for the HCPCS drug code. In addition, drugs packaged in ASC payments should not be separately reported.


A claim for services rendered in the office or independent clinic, when the physician does not bill for the injectables, must include the name of the drug and dosage in item 19 or the electronic equivalent.

Documentation Requirements:

The patient's medical record must contain documentation that fully supports the medical necessity for services included within the LCD. (See "Indications and Limitations of Coverage.") This documentation includes, but is not limited to, relevant medical history, physical examination, and results of pertinent diagnostic tests or procedures.

A procedure note must be legible and include sufficient detail to allow reconstruction of the procedure. Required elements of the note include a description of the techniques employed, and sites(s) of injections, drugs and doses with volumes and concentrations as well as pre- and post-procedural pain assessments.

For injections of tendon sheaths, ligaments, ganglion cysts, carpal and tarsal tunnels, the medical record must include a procedural note documenting the reason for the injection at any particular site. If multiple sites are injected, documentation to substantiate that all the injections are reasonable and necessary must be present.

Utilization Guidelines:

Injection Tendon Sheath, Ligament, Ganglion Cyst, Carpal and Tarsal Tunnel:

  • Most conditions that require injections into the tendon sheaths, ligaments or ganglion cysts should be resolved with one to three injections.

Frequency and Number of Injections or Interventions:

  • In the diagnostic phase, a patient may receive injections at intervals of no sooner than one week or preferably, two weeks. 
  • The number of injections in the diagnostic phase should be limited to no more than two times. 
  • Once a structure is proven to be negative, no repeat interventions should be directed at that structure unless there is a new clinical presentation with symptoms, signs, and diagnostic studies of known reliability and validity that implicate the structure. 
  • The effect of injected corticosteroids may remain for several weeks. The benefit is attributed to a decrease of local inflammation and perhaps some local anesthetic effect. It is usually not necessary to repeat an injection if there has been a satisfactory response to the first injection. Patients who relapse after a satisfactory response may be candidates for another trial after an appropriate interval. Consideration should be given to the cumulative dose injected and limitations made to avoid steroid complications. 
  • In the therapeutic phase (after the diagnostic phase is completed), the frequency should be two months or longer between each injection, provided that there is initial pain relief with diagnostic injections of greater than or equal to (>/=) 75% - 100% with the ability to perform previously painful maneuvers, and a persistent pain relief of greater than or equal to (>/=) 50% with the continued ability to perform previously painful maneuvers is maintained for at least six weeks. The therapeutic frequency must remain at least two months or longer. 
  • In the treatment or therapeutic phase, the injections should be repeated only as medically necessary. No more than four per patient per year are anticipated for the majority of patients. 

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Coding Information

Bill Type Codes

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ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

(222 Codes)
Group 1 Paragraph

INJECTION OF TENDON SHEATHS, LIGAMENTS, GANGLION CYSTS, CARPAL AND TARSAL TUNNELS (CPT codes 20526, 20550, 20551, 20612, 28899 [use for tarsal tunnel injections]) 

 

 

Group 1 Codes
Code Description
G56.01 Carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper limb
G56.02 Carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper limb
G56.03 Carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral upper limbs
G57.51 Tarsal tunnel syndrome, right lower limb
G57.52 Tarsal tunnel syndrome, left lower limb
G57.53 Tarsal tunnel syndrome, bilateral lower limbs
M20.11 Hallux valgus (acquired), right foot
M20.12 Hallux valgus (acquired), left foot
M25.711 Osteophyte, right shoulder
M25.712 Osteophyte, left shoulder
M25.721 Osteophyte, right elbow
M25.722 Osteophyte, left elbow
M25.731 Osteophyte, right wrist
M25.732 Osteophyte, left wrist
M25.741 Osteophyte, right hand
M25.742 Osteophyte, left hand
M25.751 Osteophyte, right hip
M25.752 Osteophyte, left hip
M25.761 Osteophyte, right knee
M25.762 Osteophyte, left knee
M25.771 Osteophyte, right ankle
M25.772 Osteophyte, left ankle
M25.774 Osteophyte, right foot
M25.775 Osteophyte, left foot
M46.01 Spinal enthesopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region
M46.02 Spinal enthesopathy, cervical region
M46.03 Spinal enthesopathy, cervicothoracic region
M46.04 Spinal enthesopathy, thoracic region
M46.05 Spinal enthesopathy, thoracolumbar region
M46.06 Spinal enthesopathy, lumbar region
M46.07 Spinal enthesopathy, lumbosacral region
M46.08 Spinal enthesopathy, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
M46.09 Spinal enthesopathy, multiple sites in spine
M65.111 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right shoulder
M65.112 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left shoulder
M65.121 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right elbow
M65.122 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left elbow
M65.131 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right wrist
M65.132 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left wrist
M65.141 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right hand
M65.142 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left hand
M65.151 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right hip
M65.152 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left hip
M65.161 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right knee
M65.162 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left knee
M65.171 Other infective (teno)synovitis, right ankle and foot
M65.172 Other infective (teno)synovitis, left ankle and foot
M65.18 Other infective (teno)synovitis, other site
M65.19 Other infective (teno)synovitis, multiple sites
M65.311 Trigger thumb, right thumb
M65.312 Trigger thumb, left thumb
M65.321 Trigger finger, right index finger
M65.322 Trigger finger, left index finger
M65.331 Trigger finger, right middle finger
M65.332 Trigger finger, left middle finger
M65.341 Trigger finger, right ring finger
M65.342 Trigger finger, left ring finger
M65.351 Trigger finger, right little finger
M65.352 Trigger finger, left little finger
M65.4 Radial styloid tenosynovitis [de Quervain]
M65.80 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified site
M65.811 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right shoulder
M65.812 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left shoulder
M65.821 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right upper arm
M65.822 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left upper arm
M65.831 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right forearm
M65.832 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left forearm
M65.841 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right hand
M65.842 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left hand
M65.851 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right thigh
M65.852 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left thigh
M65.861 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right lower leg
M65.862 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left lower leg
M65.871 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, right ankle and foot
M65.872 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, left ankle and foot
M65.88 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, other site
M65.89 Other synovitis and tenosynovitis, multiple sites
M65.9 Synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified
M66.211 Spontaneous rupture of extensor tendons, right shoulder
M66.212 Spontaneous rupture of extensor tendons, left shoulder
M66.811 Spontaneous rupture of other tendons, right shoulder
M66.812 Spontaneous rupture of other tendons, left shoulder
M67.311 Transient synovitis, right shoulder
M67.312 Transient synovitis, left shoulder
M67.321 Transient synovitis, right elbow
M67.322 Transient synovitis, left elbow
M67.331 Transient synovitis, right wrist
M67.332 Transient synovitis, left wrist
M67.341 Transient synovitis, right hand
M67.342 Transient synovitis, left hand
M67.351 Transient synovitis, right hip
M67.352 Transient synovitis, left hip
M67.361 Transient synovitis, right knee
M67.362 Transient synovitis, left knee
M67.371 Transient synovitis, right ankle and foot
M67.372 Transient synovitis, left ankle and foot
M67.38 Transient synovitis, other site
M67.39 Transient synovitis, multiple sites
M67.40 Ganglion, unspecified site
M67.411 Ganglion, right shoulder
M67.412 Ganglion, left shoulder
M67.421 Ganglion, right elbow
M67.422 Ganglion, left elbow
M67.431 Ganglion, right wrist
M67.432 Ganglion, left wrist
M67.441 Ganglion, right hand
M67.442 Ganglion, left hand
M67.451 Ganglion, right hip
M67.452 Ganglion, left hip
M67.461 Ganglion, right knee
M67.462 Ganglion, left knee
M67.471 Ganglion, right ankle and foot
M67.472 Ganglion, left ankle and foot
M67.48 Ganglion, other site
M67.49 Ganglion, multiple sites
M70.031 Crepitant synovitis (acute) (chronic), right wrist
M70.032 Crepitant synovitis (acute) (chronic), left wrist
M70.041 Crepitant synovitis (acute) (chronic), right hand
M70.042 Crepitant synovitis (acute) (chronic), left hand
M70.10 Bursitis, unspecified hand
M70.11 Bursitis, right hand
M70.12 Bursitis, left hand
M70.21 Olecranon bursitis, right elbow
M70.22 Olecranon bursitis, left elbow
M70.31 Other bursitis of elbow, right elbow
M70.32 Other bursitis of elbow, left elbow
M70.41 Prepatellar bursitis, right knee
M70.42 Prepatellar bursitis, left knee
M70.51 Other bursitis of knee, right knee
M70.52 Other bursitis of knee, left knee
M70.61 Trochanteric bursitis, right hip
M70.62 Trochanteric bursitis, left hip
M70.71 Other bursitis of hip, right hip
M70.72 Other bursitis of hip, left hip
M71.111 Other infective bursitis, right shoulder
M71.112 Other infective bursitis, left shoulder
M71.121 Other infective bursitis, right elbow
M71.122 Other infective bursitis, left elbow
M71.131 Other infective bursitis, right wrist
M71.132 Other infective bursitis, left wrist
M71.141 Other infective bursitis, right hand
M71.142 Other infective bursitis, left hand
M71.151 Other infective bursitis, right hip
M71.152 Other infective bursitis, left hip
M71.161 Other infective bursitis, right knee
M71.162 Other infective bursitis, left knee
M71.171 Other infective bursitis, right ankle and foot
M71.172 Other infective bursitis, left ankle and foot
M71.18 Other infective bursitis, other site
M71.19 Other infective bursitis, multiple sites
M71.30 Other bursal cyst, unspecified site
M71.521 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right elbow
M71.522 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left elbow
M71.531 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right wrist
M71.532 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left wrist
M71.541 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right hand
M71.542 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left hand
M71.551 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right hip
M71.552 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left hip
M71.561 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right knee
M71.562 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left knee
M71.571 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, right ankle and foot
M71.572 Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, left ankle and foot
M71.58* Other bursitis, not elsewhere classified, other site
M72.0 Palmar fascial fibromatosis [Dupuytren]
M72.2 Plantar fascial fibromatosis
M72.9 Fibroblastic disorder, unspecified
M75.01 Adhesive capsulitis of right shoulder
M75.02 Adhesive capsulitis of left shoulder
M75.101 Unspecified rotator cuff tear or rupture of right shoulder, not specified as traumatic
M75.102 Unspecified rotator cuff tear or rupture of left shoulder, not specified as traumatic
M75.21 Bicipital tendinitis, right shoulder
M75.22 Bicipital tendinitis, left shoulder
M75.30 Calcific tendinitis of unspecified shoulder
M75.31 Calcific tendinitis of right shoulder
M75.32 Calcific tendinitis of left shoulder
M75.41 Impingement syndrome of right shoulder
M75.42 Impingement syndrome of left shoulder
M75.51 Bursitis of right shoulder
M75.52 Bursitis of left shoulder
M75.81 Other shoulder lesions, right shoulder
M75.82 Other shoulder lesions, left shoulder
M75.91 Shoulder lesion, unspecified, right shoulder
M75.92 Shoulder lesion, unspecified, left shoulder
M76.01 Gluteal tendinitis, right hip
M76.02 Gluteal tendinitis, left hip
M76.11 Psoas tendinitis, right hip
M76.12 Psoas tendinitis, left hip
M76.21 Iliac crest spur, right hip
M76.22 Iliac crest spur, left hip
M76.31 Iliotibial band syndrome, right leg
M76.32 Iliotibial band syndrome, left leg
M76.41 Tibial collateral bursitis [Pellegrini-Stieda], right leg
M76.42 Tibial collateral bursitis [Pellegrini-Stieda], left leg
M76.51 Patellar tendinitis, right knee
M76.52 Patellar tendinitis, left knee
M76.61 Achilles tendinitis, right leg
M76.62 Achilles tendinitis, left leg
M76.71 Peroneal tendinitis, right leg
M76.72 Peroneal tendinitis, left leg
M76.811 Anterior tibial syndrome, right leg
M76.812 Anterior tibial syndrome, left leg
M76.821 Posterior tibial tendinitis, right leg
M76.822 Posterior tibial tendinitis, left leg
M76.891 Other specified enthesopathies of right lower limb, excluding foot
M76.892 Other specified enthesopathies of left lower limb, excluding foot
M76.899 Other specified enthesopathies of unspecified lower limb, excluding foot
M76.9 Unspecified enthesopathy, lower limb, excluding foot
M77.01 Medial epicondylitis, right elbow
M77.02 Medial epicondylitis, left elbow
M77.11 Lateral epicondylitis, right elbow
M77.12 Lateral epicondylitis, left elbow
M77.21 Periarthritis, right wrist
M77.22 Periarthritis, left wrist
M77.30 Calcaneal spur, unspecified foot
M77.31* Calcaneal spur, right foot
M77.32* Calcaneal spur, left foot
M77.41 Metatarsalgia, right foot
M77.42 Metatarsalgia, left foot
M77.51* Other enthesopathy of right foot and ankle
M77.52* Other enthesopathy of left foot and ankle
M77.8 Other enthesopathies, not elsewhere classified
Group 1 Medical Necessity ICD-10-CM Codes Asterisk Explanation

*Use ICD-10-CM code M71.58 for bursitis in the foot

*Use ICD-10-CM code M77.31-M77.32 for heel pain syndrome

*Use ICD-10-CM code M77.51-M77.52 for calcaneal bursitis

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Associated Documents

Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2 SAD Determinations
Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2
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