AMA CPT® Assistant - 1998 Issue 5 (May)
Musculoskeletal System, 26591 (Q&A) (May 1998)
May 1998 page 11c Coding Consultation Musculoskeletal System, 26591 (Q&A) Question Please clarify procedure code 26591 , Repair, intrinsic muscles of hand (specify) . Should I specify one or all muscles repaired and code only one time per operative session, or code for each muscle repaired? AMA Comment From a CPT coding perspective, code 26591 is intended to be reported one time regardless of the number of intrinsic muscles that are repaired in the hand. The identification of the actual muscle(s) that are repaired should be documented in the operative report. Musculoskeletal System, 26591 (Q&A). CPT® Assistant. 1998; May...
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Article Overview
This short AMA CPT Assistant Q&A addresses a musculoskeletal coding question involving hand surgery and procedure reporting. It is aimed at coders and documentation staff who need to understand the scope of the guidance and the type of operative documentation discussed in the article.
Why This Topic Matters
Articles like this help coders and auditors interpret specialty-specific CPT guidance consistently and recognize when operative documentation should support the reported service.
What You Will Learn
- The coding topic addressed by the AMA question and comment.
- The documentation focus associated with the procedure discussed.
- How the article frames reporting at a general level for CPT users.
- The specialty context in which the coding question arises.
Who Should Read This
- Professional coders
- Coding auditors
- Physician documentation staff
- Orthopedic or hand surgery practices
- Revenue cycle staff
Codes Discussed
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