Bone marrow aspiration

paulapaula
in Orthopedics
2nd request please
Patient had a bone marrow aspiration of iliac crest for bone graft of nonunion of tibia.  With the changes in codes for 2018, what CPT code would you report?  Thanks for the help.

Comments

  • schmidtsj2schmidtsj2

    Hi Paula,

    When using bone marrow aspirate for bone grafting (arthrodesis) in a site other than the spine it is now required to be an unlisted code 20999.  See the instructional note under 20939 in CPT. (For aspiration of bone marrow for the purpose of bone grafting, other than spine surgery and other therapeutic musculoskeletal applications, use 20999)

  • paulapaula
    Thank you.
  • LEFLEF
    Is this code expected to be paid?
  • bfontainebfontaine
    Can anyone see why AMA would say to use an unlisted code when there is another code for harvesting bone graft for the purpose of transplantation?  38232  says Bone Marrow aspiration for transplantation, autogolous. 

    I know what the note says under 20939, but what would be the purpose of 38232 code?  It's not specific as to the site of the transplant, and we are doing it for therapeutic reasons, so why should it be an unlisted code???  Any thoughts?
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