tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2014 Issue 2

Reader Question: Is Removal of A Rust Ring Considered a Foreign Body Removal?

Question: I recently had a chart with a machine shop worker complaining of left eye pain after a small piece of metal hit him in the eye while polishing metal pieces. Our emergency physician examined the affected area, and then used a burr to scrape the corneal epithelium area clean of the “rust ring.” How do I report the rust ring removal: Should I report this as a foreign body removal? Maryland Subscriber Answer: While the ring is technically a foreign body, payers do not consider rust ring removal a foreign body removal for coding purposes, and...

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