Botulinum Toxin Codes: Attend Pain Management Conferences For More Insight

By Author: Celena Rose
Total Articles: 146
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We have just entered a year which is likely to be a challenging one for medical coders. As a pain management coder, you'll encounter new CPT codes for posterior intrafacet implants, paravertebral facet joint injections, and sacroplasty. So when you're preparing to implement these additions, see to it that you don't overlook HCPCS changes for botulinum toxin injections and implantable neurostimulator electodes


This year, you'll have to double check your calculations before filing claims because we have a new code for botulinum toxin type A and revisions to the older codes for botulinum toxin types A and B. HCPCS 2010 brings forth revisions to the existing botulinum toxin codes. The new descriptors which correspond to the underlying botulinum toxin rather than simply type A or type B are J0585 -- Injection, onabotulinumtoxinA, 1 unit and J0587 -- RimabotulinumtoxinB, 100 units.


The change is important not only because it emphasizes that the medications are interchangeable by structuring the codes differently, but also because it differentiates Botox from Dysport. What's more it also simplifies ...
... fee calculations because of separate codes.


To know more about these HCPCS changes affecting your pain management practice, you can go for pain management conferences and see how it impacts your practice. When you go for such pain management conferences, you'll not only be on top of all the HCPCS changes for botulinum, but also get all the updates pertaining to your specialty. In fact, even if you miss out on the conferences, you can always fall back on CDs and MP3s to help you wiggle out of tough pain management coding situations.