From a position of a medical worker, it is crucial to accurately document Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for clarity and transparency of the provided healthcare services. A proper selection of a CPT code is vital for the patient’s insurance provider and signals the sum necessary to cover the costs of treatment. They are created and regulated by the American Medical Association (Torrey, 2021). In this essay, the application of this code will be discussed.
The application of a long-arm splint is a necessary procedure when the trauma requires complete immobilization of a significant portion of the arm’s movements. Walthall et al. (2021) state that this split prevents “elbow flexion and extension and wrist flexion, extension, forearm supination/pronation.” The selection of such a fixation must be accompanied by a proper codification. Whether it is done for healing or surgical preparation, the choice must be documented accordingly. In the presented case, the code that refers to the application of a long-arm split is 29105 (“CPT® code 29105 – Body and upper extremity application of splints,” n.d.). First, to select a proper CPT code, the basic parameters, including the name of the service, its purpose, and utilized materials must be outlined. Then, there are utilities and tools that assist with its selection through Electronic Health Records. Otherwise, the necessary CPT code can be looked up through code lists provided by related organizations, such as the American Academy of Professional Coders.
In conclusion, the usage of uniform codes is critical for adequate data transfer between healthcare facilities and insurance companies. Their accuracy is necessary in outlining of provided services for billing purposes, as they are linked directly with the costs of such actions. A single code reflects many aspects of the work done by healthcare personnel. A splint performed for healing or surgical fixation goes under code 29105, which can be selected via service copyright owners, such as the AAPC.
References
CPT® code 29105 – Body and upper extremity application of splints. (n.d.). Web.
Torrey, T. (2021). An overview of CPT codes in medical billing. Verywell Health. Web.
Walthall, J., Adame, J., & Varacallo, M. (2021). Long arm splinting. StatPearls. Web.