Welter Healthcare Partners is excited to present our monthly Code Spotlight! Each month, Welter Healthcare Partners will spotlight a unique CPT or ICD-10 code to profile and discuss practice applications of the code, as well as pertinent guideline reminders.nnM48.062 – Spinal Stenosis, lumbar region, with neurogenic claudicationnThe list of ICD-10 code updates is extensive and lumbar spinal stenosis got a makeover with this year’s revision. The previous code M48.06 – Spinal stenosis, lumbar region will no longer be valid as of October 1st. There are now two new code options to replace the old code. These options now include specificity for neurogenic claudication. Spine surgeons and coders will be excited to finally have a code to capture this level of specificity!nnIt is important for coders to understand the clinical definition of neurogenic claudication. “Neurogenic claudication is the medical term used to describe the symptom of pain induced by walking,” according to spinal-healthcare.com, which goes on to call the condition “a hallmark symptom of lumbar stenosis.” Clinical documentation should include indications of trouble walking in the operative notes. If there is no indication of ambulatory issues or other signs of neurogenic claudication, you’ll assign the code for lumbar stenosis without neurogenic claudication; if the note describes the patient as having ambulatory issues due to stenosis, this could indicate claudication, in which case you’ll need to assign M48.062.
