Bone Up on New I-9 Ortho Codes

Orthopedists who treat pediatric patients for fractures have three new ICD-9-CM codes to use come Oct. 1.

Report ICD-9-CM code 813.46 Torus fractures of ulna [alone] when the patient fractures only the ulna; and 813.47 Torus fracture of radius and ulna when the patient fractures both.

Don’t confuse these codes with 813.45 Torus fracture of radius and other radius and ulnar fracture codes specified in the 813.xx Fracture of radius and ulna range, warns Coding News.

And for a dislocated elbow or “radial head subluxation,” report  832.2 Nursemaid’s elbow for services rendered on or after Oct. 1.

As for now, ICD-9-CM directs you to 832.0x Dislocation of elbow; closed dislocation for this condition, says Leslie A. Follebout, CPC, COSC, PCS, coding manager at Peninsula Orthopaedic Associates in Salisbury, Md.

Related posts:

1. Coding Guidance for 2009 Ortho Claims
2. Get Specific With 2009 Lab Codes
3. Don’t Choose Shoulder Scope Codes Off the Cuff
4. Immediate Care Business: “Fracture Diagnosis Coding Basics”
5. First Look: Changes to CPT® 2010 Go Beyond Codes

One Response to “Bone Up on New I-9 Ortho Codes”

1. Cheryl Keele Says:
   July 16th, 2009 at 6:20 am

   Thought I would share this information with you all. You can always share this with the ortho docs and/or their staff too.

   Cheryl

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