Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine (May 2005)
May 2005 page 14
Coding Consultation:Questions and Answers
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine, 97039, 97124 (Q&A)
Question
What is the appropriate CPT code to
report for mechanical massage therapy?
AMA Comment
From a CPT coding perspective,
no current CPT code specifically and accurately
describes mechanical massage; therefore,
code 97039, Unlisted modality (specify type and
time if constant attendance), would be the most
appropriate code to report for mechanical massage
therapy. It would not be appropriate to
report code 97124, Therapeutic procedure, one or
more areas, each 15 minutes; massage, including
effleurage, petrissage and/or tapotement (stroking,
compression, percussion).
Physical...
Note: The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AMA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.
Article Overview
This May 2005 CPT Assistant Q&A discusses a physical medicine and rehabilitation coding question involving mechanical massage therapy. It is intended for coders and billing professionals who need to understand how the article frames the reporting issue, the CPT code set involved, and the general type of guidance provided in the AMA comment.
Why This Topic Matters
Articles like this help coders identify which coding topics are being addressed in specialty-specific guidance and whether the discussion concerns a coding question, an unlisted-service option, or a related procedure code. It is relevant to professionals working with rehabilitation and therapy services who want to confirm the scope of the guidance before consulting the full article.
Article Sections
Coding Consultation: Questions and Answers
A brief Q&A format article in physical medicine and rehabilitation discussing a coding question raised by a therapy-related service. The section contains an AMA comment explaining the coding perspective covered in the article.
What You Will Learn
The type of coding question addressed in the article
The specialty area covered by the guidance
How the article is organized as a Q&A discussion
What kind of CPT-related issue the AMA comment addresses
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