AMA CPT® Assistant - 2004 Issue 11 (November)
Musculoskeletal System/Surgery (November 2004)
November 2004 page 10 Coding Consultation:Questions and Answers Musculoskeletal System, 23585 (Q&A) Question Is it appropriate to report CPT code 23585, Open treatment of scapular fracture (body, glenoid or acromion) with or without internal fixation, more than once per operative session if both scapulae were treated? AMA Comment CPT code 23585 is intended to be reported once per operative session. However, if both scapulae were treated at one operative session, it would be appropriate to report this code with modifier 50, Bilateral procedure, appended to indicate that the procedure was performed bilaterally. Musculoskeletal System/Surgery (November 2004). CPT® Assistant...
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Article Overview
This article is a brief CPT Assistant Q&A from the Musculoskeletal System/Surgery category. It focuses on a coding consultation about how a bilateral musculoskeletal procedure was discussed in the context of a single operative session, and it is relevant to coders, billers, and compliance staff who review CPT surgery reporting guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
Articles like this help readers understand official AMA commentary on reporting conventions for surgery coding in a musculoskeletal context. It is useful for professionals who need to compare the article’s guidance with their own documentation and claim review workflows.
Article Sections
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Coding Consultation: Questions and Answers
An AMA-style coding consultation presenting a musculoskeletal surgery question and related commentary. The section centers on CPT reporting guidance for a bilateral operative scenario.
What You Will Learn
- How the article frames a musculoskeletal surgery coding question and response format.
- What general type of CPT reporting issue is being addressed in the consultation.
- How AMA commentary is presented for a bilateral procedure scenario.
- intended_audiences":["Medical coders","Billing specialists","Compliance professionals","Physician office staff","Outpatient surgery coding staff"],
- topics":["Musculoskeletal surgery","CPT reporting","Bilateral procedures","AMA coding guidance","Coding consultation"],
- medical_specialties":["Orthopedics","Musculoskeletal surgery"],
- code_sets":["CPT","Modifiers"],
- codes":[{"code_set":"CPT","code":"23585"}],"code_ranges":[],"modifiers":[{"code_set":"CPT","modifier":"50"}],"content_type":"Q&A article","effective_dates":["November 2004"],"organizations_mentioned":["AMA","CPT"],"keywords":["Musculoskeletal System/Surgery","CPT Assistant","bilateral procedure","operative session","scapular fracture"],"questions_answered":["When a musculoskeletal procedure is performed on both sides during the same operative session, what general reporting issue does the article discuss?","What type of AMA coding consultation format does the article use?"],"access_description":"Publicly visible profile for a premium CPT Assistant Q&A article from November 2004. The profile identifies the article’s scope and metadata without reproducing substantive coding explanations beyond the structured code identifiers themselves.","disclosure_check":{"contains_code_descriptions":false,"contains_modifier_descriptions":false,"contains_actionable_coding_instructions":false,"contains_article_conclusions":false,"contains_detailed_examples":false}}}
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Billing specialists
- Compliance professionals
- Physician office staff
- Outpatient surgery coding staff
Codes Discussed
Modifiers Discussed
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