Billing Electrotherapy with AcuKnee

by  Christine Woolstenhulme, QMC QCC CMCS CPC CMRS
Jan 9th, 2018

This code is commonly used to bill for AcuKnee products.  Per AcuKnee, “NMES and electrotherapy may be covered by most insurance providers, provided the following criteria are met;”

Documentation of chronic pain or muscle atrophy 3 months or longer

Must document improvement

Must have physician document medical necessity/Prescription

Appropriate authorization from your insurance provider

Suggested codes when billing 

64550 initial electrotherapy education and placement

E0720 Electrotherapy unit itself

E0731 Garment for placement — document complex electrode placement

E0770 Electrotherapy unit for muscle stimulation, complete system

AcuKnee is used to treat a number of conditions including:

• Synovial membrane inflammation and cytokine production
• Anticytokine therapy for osteoarthritis
• Prevention of Posttraumatic Arthritis through Interleukin-1
• Mild Electrical Stimulation with Heat Stimulation
• Clinical and endocrinological changes after electro-acupuncture
• Acupuncture and Osteoarthritis of the Knee
• The effectiveness of pulsed electrical stimulation (E-PES)
• Experimental study of low-frequency electroacupuncture
• Effects of electro-acupuncture
• Effects of electroacupuncture on synovia free radicals in rabbits knee OA
• WebMD Alternative to Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment