From: Marc Jay Pinsky, DPM
Dr. Goldsmith correctly points out, in his recent article, the documentation needed to medically justify and bill for the U.S. guided injections into a joint (CPT 20604, 20606). All that they pay you is an approximate additional $30. Is it worth the risk of loss of time needed to get together medical justification and chart info (for a medical claim review) for such a small additional payment? Not to me – I don’t even list these CPT codes on my office superbill.
I’ll reserve my limited use of U.S. guided injections for deep bursae and cysts and/or neuromas – CPT 76942, where it is worth my time and effort and the medical justification is easily apparent. It is bad enough that they only reimburse a limited U.S. exam -CPT 76882 (.i.e., for plantar fasciitis) at less than $36. Please don’t insult me with less than $30 additional for adding U.S. to a joint injection (– you will get a larger reimbursement for "just looking" at the joint)!
Marc Jay Pinsky, DPM, Petersburg, VA