2025 Coding Companion® for Orthopaedics: Lower – Hips & Below (Spiral)

• Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services Guidelines – E/M codes are used every day in your practice. Now with CPT® E/M Guidelines and our Optum Coding Tips, you have all the information you need to select the correct E/M code for the service provided.  
• Quickly find information. All the information you need is provided, including CPT® full code descriptions, lay descriptions, coding tips, post op or follow-up days, Medicare edits including IOM references and Medicare Unlikely Edit designations (MUE), and commonly associated ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes.
• Procedure code icons – Quickly identify new, revised, add-on, and telemedicine procedure codes, making your coding process for procedures and E/M services quick and efficient.
• ICD-10-CM code icons – Icons identifying male and female only codes, as well as age-related and laterality diagnosis codes.
• Easily determine fees for your practice and reinforce consistency in the charges. Relative value units including the practice, work, and malpractice components with the total RVUs for non-facility and facility are included.
• CPT® Assistant references. Identifies that an article or discussion of the CPT® code has been in the American Medical Association’s CPT® Assistant newsletter. Use the citation to locate the correct volume. 
• Avoid claim denials and/or audits. Medicare payer information includes references to Internet Only Manual (IOM) guidelines, follow-up days, and assistant-at-surgery. 
• CCI edits by CPT® and HCPCS procedure code. CPT® and HCPCS procedure codes with their associated CCI edits are provided in a special section. Quarterly updates, and other significant updates for this Coding Companion, are available online at Optumcoding.com Product Update page.

CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.

Ms. Patterson has more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare profession. She has an extensive background in professional component coding, with expertise in E/M coding and auditing, and HIPAA compliance. Her experience includes general surgery coding, serving as Director of Compliance, conducting chart-to-claim audits, and physician education. She has been responsible for coding and denial management in large multi-specialty physician practices, and most recently has been part of a team developing content for educational products related to ICD-10-CM. Ms. Patterson is credentialed by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) as a Certified Professional Coder (CPC).