AMA CPT® Assistant - 1998 Issue 7 (July)
Musculoskeletal System, 26591 (Q&A) (July 1998)
July 1998 page 11-end Coding Consultation Musculoskeletal System, 26591 (Q&A) Question Will you please clarify a question I saw in the May 1998 CPT Assistant, that dealt with 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 would be reported for each intrinsic muscle that is repaired. Therefore, if two intrinsic muscles are repaired, code 26591 may be reported by placing a 2 in the units column...
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Article Overview
This short CPT Assistant Q&A explains a coding clarification for a hand-related musculoskeletal procedure and notes that reporting guidance may be affected by payer-specific rules. It is relevant to coders, billers, and auditors who work with CPT procedure reporting and want to understand the scope of the article before reading the full premium content.
Why This Topic Matters
The article helps coding professionals identify the specific CPT procedure being discussed and understand that the publication is focused on reporting interpretation rather than a broad clinical review.
What You Will Learn
- What procedure coding issue is being clarified
- How the article frames reporting frequency for the procedure
- That payer-specific reporting guidance may also matter for this service
- How a CPT Assistant Q&A can inform CPT reporting questions
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Billing staff
- Healthcare compliance professionals
- Orthopedic and hand surgery practices
Codes Discussed
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