<<Codingline Response: On the issue of the payer denying your office "procedure", CPT is divided into sections: E/M, Surgery, Pathology and Laboratory, Medicine, etc. The injection you are referring to "resides" under "Surgery" (along with cutting toenails and applying a cast). So, if this patient's insurance plan benefit structure language excludes ALL in-office surgery [coding] from reimbursement, then the insurance company's denial of your claim is correct, and you may only be left with charging the patient.>>
So correct..surgery is considered in CPT language from codes that are 10000 to 69999. Even though it was an injection, surgery does not always constitute an open incision or what people not in this industry would consider surgery. You must follow the CPT guidelines.
Since so much podiatric surgery is performed in office, it would be prudent for someone to check the insurance coverage before the procedure is performed.