{"id":177279,"date":"2026-08-13T12:08:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T12:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/?p=177279"},"modified":"2026-08-13T13:34:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T13:34:47","slug":"cpt-code-22527","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/","title":{"rendered":"CPT code 22527: Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"MedicalWebPage\",\"headline\":\"CPT code 22527: Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty, additional levels\",\"description\":\"CPT code 22527 (percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty, unilateral or bilateral including fluoroscopic guidance, additional levels) billing reference covering add-on status, Medicare non-coverage under NCD 150.11, modifiers, ICD-10 pairings, and documentation.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/\",\"audience\":{\"@type\":\"MedicalAudience\",\"audienceType\":\"Clinician\"},\"reviewedBy\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Dr Vanja Kitanova\",\"jobTitle\":\"Medical Reviewer\",\"affiliation\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Pabau\"},\"knowsAbout\":[\"Medical Coding\",\"Clinical Documentation\",\"Healthcare Billing\",\"Clinical Safety\"],\"sameAs\":\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/author\/vanja\/\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-12\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-13\"}<\/script>\n\n\n        <div id=\"key_takeaways\">\n            <div class=\"header\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Key-Takeaways-Icon.svg\" alt=\"Key takeaways\" height=\"42\" width=\"42\">\n                                <h3>Key takeaways<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"list\">\n                                                            <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>CPT code 22527 is the add-on code for percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at one or more additional levels<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>The procedure delivers heat through a catheter inside the disc annulus, so it is not an intradiscal injection code<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>22527 is reported once per session however many additional levels are treated, and never without primary code 22526<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>Fluoroscopic guidance is built into the descriptor, so CPT 77003 cannot be billed alongside it<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>Medicare has treated thermal intradiscal procedures as non-covered since 2008, and both codes carry fee schedule status N<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#3D3D46\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p>Practice management software like Pabau flags add-on pairings, stores the signed notice, and keeps non-covered claims clean<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CPT code 22527 is the add-on code for percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at one or more additional spinal levels. Heat is delivered to the disc annulus through a thermal catheter or electrode, under fluoroscopic guidance. Spine, pain, and <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/industry\/sports-medicine-software\/\">sports medicine practices<\/a> report it alongside primary code CPT 22526.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One fact shapes every claim built on this code. Medicare treats thermal intradiscal procedures as nationally non-covered, and most commercial plans call them investigational. So the coding work here centers on clean denials, signed patient notices, and records that hold up under review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"CPT Coding Pitfalls Every Medical Practice Faces\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vbvV5okdXKg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-official-descriptor-and-what-22527-covers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Official descriptor and what 22527 covers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American Medical Association, or AMA, defines 22527 as percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at one or more additional levels. The descriptor covers unilateral or bilateral treatment and includes fluoroscopic guidance. It is listed separately in addition to the code for the primary procedure. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ama-assn.org\/practice-management\/cpt\/cpt-code-set-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">AMA CPT code set<\/a> carries the exact published wording and usage notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four details in that descriptor decide how the claim is built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Thermal, not injectable:<\/strong> heat or radiofrequency energy is applied to the annulus through a catheter passed down an introducer needle. Nothing is injected into the disc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fluoroscopic guidance included:<\/strong> imaging guidance is already priced into the code. Do not add CPT 77003 for the same session.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unilateral or bilateral:<\/strong> one report covers either approach at a level. Treating both sides is still a single report.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One or more additional levels:<\/strong> 22527 is reported once, however many extra levels are treated. Units do not scale with level count.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the technique family usually marketed as intradiscal electrothermal therapy, or IDET. Intradiscal biacuplasty, radiofrequency annuloplasty, and percutaneous intradiscal radiofrequency thermocoagulation all use the same two codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-22527-vs-22526-how-the-code-pair-works\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">22527 vs 22526: How the code pair works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CPT 22526 is the primary code and covers the first level treated. CPT code 22527 covers every additional level in the same session, as a single add-on report. Submitting 22527 with no 22526 on the claim is the fastest route to a rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Feature<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">CPT 22526 (primary)<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">CPT 22527 (add-on)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Code type<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Stand-alone primary code<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Add-on code, marked with a plus symbol<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Levels covered<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">The first level treated<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">All additional levels in the same session<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Units to report<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">One per session<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">One per session, whatever the level count<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Can it be billed alone?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Yes<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">No. It needs 22526 on the same claim<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Fluoroscopy included?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Yes. Do not bill 77003 as well<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Yes. Do not bill 77003 as well<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Modifier 51 exempt?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Not applicable<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Yes. Add-on codes are exempt from modifier 51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Medicare fee schedule status<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">N, non-covered service<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">N, non-covered service<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Treating three levels does not mean three line items. Report 22526 once for the first level, then 22527 once for the rest. Percutaneous spine codes such as <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22510\/\">CPT 22510<\/a> follow the same add-on pattern. An add-on code is never subject to modifier 51, and it always needs its designated primary code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-clinical-indications-for-thermal-annuloplasty\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clinical indications for thermal annuloplasty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CPT code 22527 applies to thermal intradiscal annuloplasty at additional levels. The target is discogenic pain from annular tears or degeneration, treated by heating the annulus rather than removing disc material. <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/industry\/physical-therapy-emr\/\">Physical therapy practices<\/a> referring patients for interventional management will see these codes on procedural claims from the performing physician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Chronic discogenic low back pain<\/strong> that has not responded to conservative treatment, typically six or more weeks of physical therapy, NSAIDs, and activity modification<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Annular disruption<\/strong> confirmed on MRI or discography, with reported pain concordant at the treated level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disc degeneration at more than one level<\/strong>, which is what brings 22527 into play alongside the primary code<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A contained disc<\/strong>, since the technique seals or denervates the annulus instead of decompressing herniated material<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Documented conservative care failure<\/strong>, which every payer with a positive policy asks to see before the procedure date<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clinical fit does not settle payment here. Medicare and most commercial plans have already taken a position against these procedures, so check the coverage rules below before anything is scheduled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-medicare-coverage-why-cpt-code-22527-is-nationally-non-covered\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Medicare coverage: Why CPT code 22527 is nationally non-covered<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Medicare does not pay for CPT code 22527. National coverage determination 150.11 makes thermal intradiscal procedures non-covered for all beneficiaries, for dates of service on or after September 29, 2008. The determination is national, so there is no jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction rule to look up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It covers any percutaneous intradiscal technique that uses a radiofrequency or electrothermal energy source to heat or disrupt disc material. IDET, intradiscal biacuplasty, radiofrequency annuloplasty, coblation, and targeted disc decompression all sit inside it. Percutaneous decompression that uses neither energy source, such as a laser or mechanical disc decompressor, falls outside the determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both 22526 and 22527 carry a status indicator of N on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/medicare\/physician-fee-schedule\/search\/overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Medicare Physician Fee Schedule<\/a>, which means non-covered service. A payment amount in the fee schedule database does not make a service payable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-relative-value-units-rvus-for-22527\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relative value units (RVUs) for 22527<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RVUs still matter for this code, just not for Medicare. Plenty of commercial contracts price spine work off the resource-based relative value scale, so the components below drive what a negotiated rate looks like. Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/fastrvu.com\/tools\/rvu-lookup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FastRVU lookup tool<\/a> to pull current values by calendar year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">RVU component<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">What it measures<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Why it matters for 22527<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Work RVU (wRVU)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Physician time, skill, and mental effort<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">The largest driver of any rate, and the usual basis for physician compensation credit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Practice expense RVU (peRVU)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Clinical staff, equipment, and supplies<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Splits into facility and non-facility values, and the facility value is lower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Malpractice RVU (mpRVU)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Professional liability insurance cost<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">A small share of the total, though spine procedures carry heavier weighting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">Total RVU x conversion factor<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Total RVUs multiplied by a conversion factor<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">The basis for commercial rates that follow the RBRVS scale. Medicare pays nothing here<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-advance-beneficiary-notices-on-a-non-covered-claim\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advance beneficiary notices on a non-covered claim<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because the service is non-covered rather than merely unusual, the important paperwork happens before the procedure. Give the fee-for-service beneficiary an advance beneficiary notice of non-coverage, known as an ABN, and get it signed. Then append the modifier that matches what actually happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Modifier GA:<\/strong> an ABN is on file, and liability for the charge passes to the patient<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Modifier GZ:<\/strong> no ABN was obtained, and you expect the line to be denied. It tells Medicare you will not bill the patient<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Medicare Advantage members:<\/strong> the ABN form does not apply. Ask the plan for a pre-service organization determination instead<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A denial you planned for is a very different event from a denial that surprises the patient at checkout. The notice is also what lets the practice collect for the procedure without a compliance problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-commercial-payer-coverage-for-intradiscal-annuloplasty\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Commercial payer coverage for intradiscal annuloplasty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Commercial coverage is not much better. Most national plans classify percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty and radiofrequency annuloplasty as investigational, which means a medical necessity denial rather than a payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Blue Cross Blue Shield plans:<\/strong> policy 482 at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts treats intradiscal electrothermal and radiofrequency annuloplasty as investigational. Other Blue plans publish similar policies under their own numbers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aetna:<\/strong> its clinical policy bulletins on back pain interventions treat IDET and related annuloplasty techniques as experimental<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cigna:<\/strong> intradiscal procedures run through utilization review, and the answer depends on the plan document<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>UnitedHealthcare:<\/strong> spinal intervention policies commonly list intradiscal thermal procedures as unproven, so confirm the current determination directly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get the coverage answer in writing before the procedure date, and file it with the case. Policies move as evidence changes, so last year&#8217;s bulletin will not help you at appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div id=\"pro_tip\">\n            <div class=\"img\">\n                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                        d=\"M12.6383 19.5238C12.6632 21.2071 12.8734 22.9926 12.0685 24.5523C11.0341 26.8917 8.45076 28.169 7.56292 30.5918C6.63082 33.1061 7.19505 36.185 9.31371 37.9786C10.929 39.5678 13.4183 39.9873 15.6061 39.5463C17.4592 39.073 19.1049 37.8388 19.9706 36.1608C20.781 34.7141 20.7866 32.9904 20.5293 31.3985C20.1006 29.3092 18.3775 27.8705 16.9807 26.362C14.8814 24.1005 14.6684 20.6854 15.595 17.8915C16.4331 15.4768 19.0026 14.2344 20.0425 11.9461C20.7202 10.6769 20.7506 9.20327 20.6068 7.81304C20.1864 5.40098 18.3139 3.23631 15.8716 2.56674C13.9742 2.03969 11.8224 2.30052 10.1739 3.37614C8.70522 4.34688 7.5878 5.86618 7.28356 7.58178C6.76081 9.82981 7.53525 12.2822 9.20307 13.9118C10.7658 15.4741 12.4806 17.2273 12.6383 19.5238Z\"\n                        fill=\"#2BADD4\" \/>\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                        d=\"M22.7048 19.8387C22.6822 22.3279 24.4507 24.6234 26.7493 25.4682C28.0531 25.961 29.4725 25.9183 30.7989 25.5487C32.0575 24.9955 33.301 24.2237 34.0069 23.0092C34.8384 21.5811 35.2982 19.8286 34.7832 18.2094C34.3611 16.2507 32.8739 14.6541 31.0275 13.9426C28.6736 12.9595 25.8073 13.7942 24.1719 15.7001C23.2022 16.8366 22.6143 18.3326 22.7048 19.8387Z\"\n                        fill=\"#2BADD4\" \/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"text\">\n                <h3>Pro Tip<\/h3>\n                <p>Search the payer&#8217;s policy library by technique name, not just by code. The same procedure appears as IDET, biacuplasty, radiofrequency annuloplasty, and intradiscal thermal annuloplasty, and a plan can treat those names in separate documents. Reading the one that matches your operative report is what stops a surprise denial.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-icd-10-diagnosis-codes-that-pair-with-22527\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">ICD-10 diagnosis codes that pair with 22527<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diagnosis pairing will not turn a non-covered service into a paid one. It still matters, because the diagnosis is what makes a denial reviewable and an appeal readable. Pull the code from the imaging report and the operative note. Then confirm the pairing with a tool such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/crosscoder.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CrossCoder crosswalk<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">ICD-10 code<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Description<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M51.36<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Needs a sixth character. M51.360 covers discogenic back pain only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M51.37<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Use for L5-S1 degeneration, with the same sixth-character detail<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M51.16<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, lumbar region<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Radiculopathy, not plain degeneration. Confirm nerve root involvement in the note<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M54.50<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Low back pain, unspecified<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">A fallback only. M54.5 was deleted on October 1, 2021<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M54.51<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Vertebrogenic low back pain<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Endplate-origin pain, which points toward basivertebral nerve ablation rather than annuloplasty<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">M51.06<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, lumbar region<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Uncommon here, and myelopathy usually redirects the treatment plan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two corrections are worth making in your own code lists. M51.16 and M51.17 describe disc disorders <em>with radiculopathy<\/em>, not disc degeneration. Degeneration lives at M51.36 and M51.37, and mixing the two is a common source of mismatched claims. Endplate-origin pain belongs at <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/diagnostic-codes\/icd-10-code-m5451\/\">M54.51<\/a>, and unspecified disc disorders at <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/diagnostic-codes\/icd-10-code-m519\/\">M51.9<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-modifiers-for-22527\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Modifiers for 22527<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">22527 is an add-on code attached to a non-covered service, so its modifier set looks unusual. Two modifiers you would reach for on an ordinary surgical claim are simply wrong here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Modifier<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Name<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">How it applies to 22527<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">51<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Multiple procedures<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Never append it. Add-on codes are exempt from modifier 51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">50, LT, RT<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Bilateral, left side, right side<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Do not use. The descriptor already covers unilateral or bilateral treatment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">59<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Distinct procedural service<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Only where an NCCI edit genuinely needs unbundling, with documentation to match<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">GA<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Waiver of liability, ABN on file<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Append on a Medicare claim when the patient signed an ABN before the procedure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">GZ<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Item expected to be denied, no ABN issued<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Append when no ABN was obtained. It signals that the patient will not be billed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">AS, 80, 82<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Assistant at surgery<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Append when an assistant takes part and payer policy allows the claim<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modifier 51 triggers an automatic rejection on any add-on code. Modifier 59 needs a genuinely separate service described in the operative report, and using it to force a payment through is improper billing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-cci-edits-and-bundling-rules\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">CCI edits and bundling rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The National Correct Coding Initiative, or NCCI, sets which codes may appear together on one claim. For CPT code 22527 the live issue is imaging guidance, plus a cluster of codes that describe different procedures altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Code pairing<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Edit type<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">What it means on the claim<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22527 + 77003<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Bundled<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Fluoroscopic guidance sits inside the 22527 descriptor, so a separate 77003 line will be denied<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22527 + 22526<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Required pairing<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">22527 needs 22526 on the same claim, reported on its own line rather than as extra units<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22527 + 62290 or 62291<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Different procedure<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Discography is a separate diagnostic injection. Check the current NCCI table before reporting it at the same level and session<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22527 + 62287<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Different procedure<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Decompression inside the nucleus is its own code. It is not an annuloplasty add-on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modifier 59 can break a CCI pair only when the clinical facts genuinely differ. Confirm every pair against the current NCCI tables before submission, for example through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aapc.com\/codes\/cpt-codes-range\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">AAPC Codify CPT lookup<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-codes-often-confused-with-22527\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Codes often confused with 22527<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The intradiscal codes sit close together and describe very different work. This is where mix-ups start, and where 22527 gets reported for a procedure it does not cover. Neighboring spine codes carry their own rules, including <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22102\/\">CPT 22102<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22224\/\">CPT 22224<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;border-radius:12px;overflow:hidden;font-size:15px;line-height:1.5;margin:1.5em 0 2em;box-shadow:0 2px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.08)\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">CPT code<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Description<\/th>\n<th style=\"background:#121D36;color:#fff;padding:14px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;font-size:14px;letter-spacing:0.3px;border-bottom:2px solid #2BADD4\">Relationship to 22527<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22526<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty, single level<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">The required primary code. 22527 cannot be reported without it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">62287<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Percutaneous decompression of the nucleus pulposus, lumbar, any method<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Works inside the nucleus rather than the annulus, so it is a different procedure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">62290, 62291<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Injection procedure for discography, lumbar or cervical and thoracic<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">A diagnostic injection into the disc. An injection code, not a thermal one<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">0627T to 0630T<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Percutaneous intradiscal injection of an allogeneic cellular or tissue-based product, lumbar<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Category III injection codes. Never a stand-in for 22526 or 22527<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">64628, 64629<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Intraosseous basivertebral nerve ablation, lumbar<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Treats endplate-origin vertebrogenic pain and pairs with M54.51<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #E8ECF0;background:#F9FAFB\">\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;font-weight:600;color:#121D36\">22899<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Unlisted procedure, spine<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:12px 16px;color:#374151\">Use only where no defined code fits, with an operative report and a pricing rationale<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-common-billing-errors-and-how-to-avoid-them\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common billing errors and how to avoid them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coding audits on intradiscal claims flag the same handful of patterns. Catching them before submission prevents rejections and protects the practice from recoupment later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Coding it as an injection:<\/strong> 22526 and 22527 describe heat applied to the annulus. An intradiscal injection belongs to a different code family entirely<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reporting 22527 more than once:<\/strong> the descriptor already covers one or more additional levels, so extra levels do not add units<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Submitting 22527 alone:<\/strong> with no 22526 on the claim the add-on has nothing to attach to, and it rejects at the front end<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unbundling the fluoroscopy:<\/strong> adding 77003 to the claim. The imaging line will be denied under NCCI<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skipping the ABN:<\/strong> performing the procedure on a Medicare beneficiary with no signed notice leaves the practice holding the cost<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Appending modifier 51 or a laterality modifier:<\/strong> both are wrong on this code, and both cause avoidable rejections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treating an LCD search as the answer:<\/strong> the rule for thermal intradiscal procedures is national, so a clean local search does not mean coverage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No conservative care record:<\/strong> the most frequent finding whenever a plan with a positive policy reviews one of these claims<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Percutaneous spine codes cluster tightly in the code book. Read the parent code&#8217;s guidance before appending anything, and work from the descriptor rather than the nickname a device rep uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-documentation-that-supports-the-claim\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Documentation that supports the claim<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Documentation is what separates a defensible claim from an unappealable one. Payers that do cover thermal annuloplasty want evidence that conservative care was exhausted and that imaging supports the decision. Keeping <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/hipaa-compliance-for-medical-offices\/\">HIPAA-compliant documentation practices<\/a> and structured <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/features\/patient-intake-software\/\">digital intake and clinical forms<\/a> reduces audit exposure and speeds up review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.pabau.com\/cdn\/attachments\/pulse\/content-engine\/billing_codes\/cpt-code-22527\/customizable-consent-and-intake-forms.webp\" alt=\"Customizable consent and intake forms\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Pabau&#8217;s customizable consent and intake forms let you build the conservative care history and the ABN acknowledgment into the patient&#8217;s record before the procedure date.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px;width:800px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Operative report:<\/strong> the levels treated, the device and technique used, catheter position confirmed under fluoroscopy, and the thermal protocol applied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conservative treatment failure:<\/strong> records of at least six weeks of physical therapy, medication management, or other non-surgical care with an insufficient response<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Imaging documentation:<\/strong> MRI or discography reports confirming annular disruption or degeneration, correlated to the levels actually treated<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Medical necessity statement:<\/strong> a physician narrative tying the indication, the failed conservative care, and the choice of thermal annuloplasty together<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Signed ABN or prior authorization reference:<\/strong> keep the signed notice or the authorization number with the claim, not in a separate folder<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anesthesia records:<\/strong> some payers ask for these when the procedure is done under sedation or monitored anesthesia care<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Practices working from <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/medical-forms-at-your-healthcare-practice\/\">medical documentation forms<\/a> and structured note templates can map this checklist straight onto form sections. That is the cheapest way to stop a required element going missing. A periodic <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/medical-chart-audit\/\">medical chart audit<\/a> then confirms those elements are really in the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-claims-management-software-prevents-22527-denials\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How claims management software prevents 22527 denials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Billing CPT code 22527 correctly means holding several things together at once. The primary code has to be on the claim, and the diagnosis has to match the imaging. The signed notice has to be findable. Nobody can slip 77003 onto the line. Spine and pain management teams running several procedure claims per session are the most exposed to add-on code errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That coordination is what practice management software like Pabau is for. <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/features\/claims-management-software\/\">Claims management software<\/a> built for clinical practices flags a missing primary code before the claim goes out. It also holds the authorization reference and the signed ABN against the case, and surfaces a bundling conflict early. Practices splitting the same job across paper operative reports, a separate authorization tracker, and standalone billing software carry a much higher denial rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.pabau.com\/cdn\/attachments\/pulse\/content-engine\/billing_codes\/cpt-code-22527\/automate-claims-through-healthcode.webp\" alt=\"Automate claims and billing with Pabau\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Automated claim submission keeps the operative note, the diagnosis, and the add-on pairing together, so a 22527 line never goes out without its primary code.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px;width:800px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pabau brings documentation, billing, and compliance into one place, so <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/practice-management-software\/\">practice management software<\/a> stops being three disconnected systems. Spine and pain management teams can attach procedure documentation directly to a claim and track authorization status. That cuts the manual handoffs where coding errors creep in.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div id=\"book_a_demo\">\n            <div class=\"left-side\">\n                <div class=\"logo\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\"\n                        src=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Logo.svg\"\n                        alt=\"Logo\"\n                        loading=\"lazy\"\n                    \/>\n                <\/div>\n\n                <h3 class=\"heading\">\n                    Stop losing add-on spine claims to avoidable errors                <\/h3>\n\n                <p class=\"description\">\n                    Pabau keeps the operative note, the diagnosis, the authorization, and the signed patient notice on one record. Every 22527 line goes out with its primary code attached.                <\/p>\n\n                <div class=\"button-group\">\n                    <a href=\"\/book-demo\/\" class=\"btn btn-scale-effect btn-cta-color btn-md\">\n                        <span class=\"btn-text\">Book a demo<\/span>\n                        <div class=\"btn-icon btn-icon-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                            <svg\n                                width=\"14\"\n                                height=\"12\"\n                                viewBox=\"0 0 14 12\"\n                                fill=\"none\"\n                                xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"\n                            >\n                                <path\n                                    d=\"M0.75 4.77295C0.335786 4.77295 0 5.10874 0 5.52295C0 5.93716 0.335786 6.27295 0.75 6.27295V5.52295V4.77295ZM13.2803 6.05328C13.5732 5.76039 13.5732 5.28551 13.2803 4.99262L8.50736 0.219648C8.21447 -0.073245 7.73959 -0.073245 7.4467 0.219648C7.15381 0.512542 7.15381 0.987415 7.4467 1.28031L11.6893 5.52295L7.4467 9.76559C7.15381 10.0585 7.15381 10.5334 7.4467 10.8263C7.73959 11.1191 8.21447 11.1191 8.50736 10.8263L13.2803 6.05328ZM0.75 5.52295V6.27295L12.75 6.27295V5.52295V4.77295L0.75 4.77295V5.52295Z\"\n                                    fill=\"currentColor\"\n                                ><\/path>\n                            <\/svg>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n            <div class=\"right-side\">\n                <img decoding=\"async\"\n                    src=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Home-Page-Concept-4.webp\"\n                    alt=\"Pabau claims management dashboard for spine billing\"\n                    loading=\"lazy\"\n                \/>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n\n        <div id=\"pro_tip\">\n            <div class=\"img\">\n                <svg width=\"42\" height=\"42\" viewBox=\"0 0 42 42\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                        d=\"M12.6383 19.5238C12.6632 21.2071 12.8734 22.9926 12.0685 24.5523C11.0341 26.8917 8.45076 28.169 7.56292 30.5918C6.63082 33.1061 7.19505 36.185 9.31371 37.9786C10.929 39.5678 13.4183 39.9873 15.6061 39.5463C17.4592 39.073 19.1049 37.8388 19.9706 36.1608C20.781 34.7141 20.7866 32.9904 20.5293 31.3985C20.1006 29.3092 18.3775 27.8705 16.9807 26.362C14.8814 24.1005 14.6684 20.6854 15.595 17.8915C16.4331 15.4768 19.0026 14.2344 20.0425 11.9461C20.7202 10.6769 20.7506 9.20327 20.6068 7.81304C20.1864 5.40098 18.3139 3.23631 15.8716 2.56674C13.9742 2.03969 11.8224 2.30052 10.1739 3.37614C8.70522 4.34688 7.5878 5.86618 7.28356 7.58178C6.76081 9.82981 7.53525 12.2822 9.20307 13.9118C10.7658 15.4741 12.4806 17.2273 12.6383 19.5238Z\"\n                        fill=\"#2BADD4\" \/>\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                        d=\"M22.7048 19.8387C22.6822 22.3279 24.4507 24.6234 26.7493 25.4682C28.0531 25.961 29.4725 25.9183 30.7989 25.5487C32.0575 24.9955 33.301 24.2237 34.0069 23.0092C34.8384 21.5811 35.2982 19.8286 34.7832 18.2094C34.3611 16.2507 32.8739 14.6541 31.0275 13.9426C28.6736 12.9595 25.8073 13.7942 24.1719 15.7001C23.2022 16.8366 22.6143 18.3326 22.7048 19.8387Z\"\n                        fill=\"#2BADD4\" \/>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"text\">\n                <h3>Pro Tip<\/h3>\n                <p>Build one scrubbing rule that flags any claim carrying CPT 22527 without CPT 22526 on the same date of service. Add a second rule that flags 22527 with more than one unit. Those two catch most intradiscal annuloplasty rejections before the claim leaves the practice.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-conclusion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CPT code 22527 rewards precision more than most codes, because the payment upside is close to zero. Nobody wins an appeal on this one. What you protect instead is the patient relationship and the practice&#8217;s exposure when the denial lands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So treat the paperwork as the deliverable. Confirm the coverage position in writing, and get the ABN signed before the procedure date. Keep the operative report and the imaging tied to the treated levels. Then let the primary code and the add-on travel together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do that consistently and a non-covered procedure stops costing the practice money it never expected to lose. <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/book-demo\/\">Book a demo<\/a> to see how Pabau keeps those checks inside the daily billing workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n        <div id=\"expert_picks\">\n            <div class=\"header\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Expert-Picks.svg\" alt=\"Continue your research\" height=\"42\" width=\"42\">\n                                <h3>Continue your research<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"content\">\n                                                            <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#54B2D3\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p><strong>Billing another spine procedure this week?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22318\/\">CPT 22318<\/a> sets out the RVUs and fee schedule detail for odontoid fracture surgery.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#54B2D3\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p><strong>Screening cervical symptoms before a referral?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/smooth-pursuit-neck-torsion-test\/\">The neck torsion test<\/a> explains how to run and interpret the assessment.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#54B2D3\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p><strong>Sending patients home after a procedure?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/templates\/patient-discharge-form\/\">Patient discharge form<\/a> gives you a free template plus the fields payers expect to see.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"item\">\n                            <div>\n                                <svg width=\"20\" height=\"27\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 27\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                                    <path\n                                        d=\"M18.6223 14.3857C19.1246 13.8975 19.1246 13.1045 18.6223 12.6162L12.1938 6.36621C11.6915 5.87793 10.8759 5.87793 10.3737 6.36621C9.87143 6.85449 9.87143 7.64746 10.3737 8.13574L14.6125 12.2529H2.28571C1.57455 12.2529 1 12.8115 1 13.5029C1 14.1943 1.57455 14.7529 2.28571 14.7529H14.6085L10.3777 18.8701C9.87545 19.3584 9.87545 20.1514 10.3777 20.6396C10.8799 21.1279 11.6955 21.1279 12.1978 20.6396L18.6263 14.3896L18.6223 14.3857Z\"\n                                        fill=\"#54B2D3\" \/>\n                                <\/svg>\n                            <\/div>\n                            <p><strong>Tightening the wider billing process?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/blog\/what-is-healthcare-revenue-cycle-management\/\">Revenue cycle management<\/a> shows where claim scrubbing and denial follow-up belong.<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683188\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What is CPT code 22527?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">CPT code 22527 is an add-on code for percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at one or more additional levels, unilateral or bilateral, with fluoroscopic guidance included. Heat is applied to the disc annulus through a thermal catheter. It is always reported alongside primary code CPT 22526 for the first level treated.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683189\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is CPT code 22527 an injection procedure?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. CPT 22527 describes a thermal procedure, not an injection. A catheter or electrode is passed through an introducer needle and heats the annulus under fluoroscopic guidance. Intradiscal injections have their own codes, such as 62290 and 62291 for discography, so the two families should never be swapped.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683190\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can CPT 22527 be billed without CPT 22526?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. CPT 22527 is an add-on code and cannot stand alone. It has to appear on the same claim as primary code CPT 22526. A claim carrying 22527 with no 22526 is rejected automatically by most payers.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683191\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">How many units of CPT 22527 should you report?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">One. The descriptor covers one or more additional levels, so a single report captures every extra level treated in that session. Treating three levels means one unit of 22526 plus one unit of 22527, not one plus two.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683192\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does Medicare cover CPT code 22527?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. National coverage determination 150.11 makes thermal intradiscal procedures non-covered nationally, for dates of service on or after September 29, 2008. Both 22526 and 22527 carry fee schedule status indicator N, meaning non-covered. Issue an advance beneficiary notice first, then append modifier GA or GZ.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683193\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What ICD-10 diagnosis codes pair with CPT 22527?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Lumbar discogenic pain claims usually use M51.36 or M51.37 for other intervertebral disc degeneration. Both need a sixth character, such as M51.360 for discogenic back pain only. M51.16 covers disc disorders with radiculopathy instead, so do not substitute it. M54.50 is a fallback after M54.5 was deleted in 2021.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1786603683194\"><h3 class=\"schema-faq-question\">What modifiers apply to CPT code 22527?<\/h3> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Never append modifier 51, because add-on codes are exempt from it. Skip 50, LT, and RT as well, since the descriptor already covers unilateral or bilateral treatment. Use GA when an ABN is signed, GZ when it is not, and 59 only where an NCCI edit needs documented unbundling.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CPT code 22527 is the add-on code for percutaneous intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at one or more additional spinal levels. Heat is delivered to the disc annulus through a thermal catheter or electrode, under fluoroscopic guidance. Spine, pain, and sports medicine practices report it alongside primary code CPT 22526. One fact shapes every claim built on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":177277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"83","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"30","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"[\"\",\"\",\"\",\"\",\"\",\"\"]","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_seo_original_html":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1433,1546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-177279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-billing-codes","category-cpt-codes"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>CPT code 22527: Intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty add-on<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"CPT 22527 is the add-on code for intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at extra levels. Medicare non-coverage, modifiers, ICD-10 pairings.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CPT code 22527: Intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty add-on\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"CPT 22527 is the add-on code for intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at extra levels. 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It is always reported alongside primary code CPT 22526 for the first level treated.\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\"},\"inLanguage\":\"es\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pabau.com\\\/es\\\/procedure-codes\\\/cpt-code-22527\\\/#faq-question-1786603683189\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/pabau.com\\\/es\\\/procedure-codes\\\/cpt-code-22527\\\/#faq-question-1786603683189\",\"name\":\"Is CPT code 22527 an injection procedure?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"No. CPT 22527 describes a thermal procedure, not an injection. A catheter or electrode is passed through an introducer needle and heats the annulus under fluoroscopic guidance. 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A claim carrying 22527 with no 22526 is rejected automatically by most payers.","inLanguage":"es"},"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683191","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683191","name":"How many units of CPT 22527 should you report?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"One. The descriptor covers one or more additional levels, so a single report captures every extra level treated in that session. Treating three levels means one unit of 22526 plus one unit of 22527, not one plus two.","inLanguage":"es"},"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683192","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683192","name":"Does Medicare cover CPT code 22527?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. National coverage determination 150.11 makes thermal intradiscal procedures non-covered nationally, for dates of service on or after September 29, 2008. Both 22526 and 22527 carry fee schedule status indicator N, meaning non-covered. Issue an advance beneficiary notice first, then append modifier GA or GZ.","inLanguage":"es"},"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683193","position":6,"url":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683193","name":"What ICD-10 diagnosis codes pair with CPT 22527?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Lumbar discogenic pain claims usually use M51.36 or M51.37 for other intervertebral disc degeneration. Both need a sixth character, such as M51.360 for discogenic back pain only. M51.16 covers disc disorders with radiculopathy instead, so do not substitute it. M54.50 is a fallback after M54.5 was deleted in 2021.","inLanguage":"es"},"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683194","position":7,"url":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/procedure-codes\/cpt-code-22527\/#faq-question-1786603683194","name":"What modifiers apply to CPT code 22527?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Never append modifier 51, because add-on codes are exempt from it. Skip 50, LT, and RT as well, since the descriptor already covers unilateral or bilateral treatment. Use GA when an ABN is signed, GZ when it is not, and 59 only where an NCCI edit needs documented unbundling.","inLanguage":"es"},"inLanguage":"es"}]}},"yoast":{"focus_keyword":"CPT code 22527","seo_title":"CPT code 22527: Intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty add-on","meta_description":"CPT 22527 is the add-on code for intradiscal electrothermal annuloplasty at extra levels. Medicare non-coverage, modifiers, ICD-10 pairings.","content_score":"30","is_cornerstone":"","related_keyphrases":[{"keyword":"cpt code 22526","score":72},{"keyword":"intradiscal annuloplasty cpt code","score":72},{"keyword":"cpt code 22527 modifier","score":61},{"keyword":"icd-10 lumbar disc degeneration","score":56},{"keyword":"cci edits spine","score":61}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177279"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":179979,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177279\/revisions\/179979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/177277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pabau.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}