Spine surgery performed in ASCs continues to grow with eight new recently proposed ASC payable codes. These additions come after the inclusion of nine spine codes in the 2015 ASC payable list.
In August, CMS proposed to add eight new spine codes to the ASC payable list in 2017:
1. Autograft for spine surgery (20936) — (includes harvesting the graft); local (e.g., ribs, spinous process or laminar fragments) obtained from the same incision (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
2. Autograft for spine surgery only (20937) — (includes harvesting the graft); morselized (through separate skin or fascial incision) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
3. Autograft for spine surgery only (20938) — (includes harvesting the graft); structural biocortical or tricortical (through separate skin fascial incision)
4. Arthrodesis, anterior interbody (22552) — including disc space preparation, discectomy, osteophytectomy and decompression of spinal cord and/or nerve roots; cervical C2, each additional interspace (List separately in addition to code for separate procedure)
5. Posterior non-segmental instrumentation (22840) — (e,g., Harrington rod technique, pedicle screw fixation across one interspace, atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation, sublaminar wiring at C1, facet screw fixation)
6. Posterior non-segmental instrumentation (22842) — (e.g., Harrington rod technique, pedicle fixation across one interspace, atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation, subliminar wiring at C1, facet screw fixation)
7. Anterior instrumentation; two to three vertebral segments (22845)
8. Application of intervertebral biomechanical device(s) (22851) — (e.g., synthetic cage(s), methlmethacrylate) to vertebral defect or interspace (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure)
These proposed codes build off the nine new procedure codes added to the ASC payable list in 2015:
1. [Neck spine fuse & remov bel c2 (22551)]
2. Neck spine fusion (22554)
3. Lumbar spine fusion (22612)
4. Neck spine disc surgery (63020)
5. Low back disc surgery (63030)
6. Laminectomy single lumbar (63042)
7. Removal of spinal lamina (63045)
8. Removal of spinal lamina (63047)
9. Decompression spinal cord (63056)