R51.9 — Headache, unspecified
ICD-10-CM
Prior Authorization
No Prior Auth Required
No active coverage policies found for this code (low confidence)
Documentation Required
- Claims must report the precise level(s) of subluxation as the primary diagnosis and the neuromusculoskeletal condition necessitating treatment as the secondary diagnosis.
- Each claim must include date of initiation of the course of treatment, symptom/secondary diagnosis code(s), subluxation/primary diagnosis code(s), date of service, place of service, and procedure code; missing items may cause denial or delay.
- Diagnosis codes supporting medical necessity must be submitted with each claim; progress notes need not accompany each claim but must be maintained and available upon request.
- Chiropractor must file the claim, and when providing active/corrective treatment they must append the AT modifier; if provider believes service is likely to be denied, an Advance Beneficiary Notification (ABN) must be obtained and the GA modifier used.
Key Coverage Criteria
- Medicare covers manual manipulation of the spine (chiropractic manipulative treatment) for treatment of spinal subluxation using CPT codes 98940, 98941, or 98942 when medically necessary.
- Subluxation must be demonstrated and documented (by x-ray or physician/chiropractic exam) with the problem/complaint addressed and the precise level of each subluxation treated specified in the medical record.
- Active/corrective treatment for acute or chronic subluxation requires use of the AT modifier on claims.
- Clinical findings supporting subluxation should follow PART elements (Pain, Asymmetry/misalignment, Range of motion abnormality, Tissue/tone changes) documented by observation, palpation, imaging, or measurement as appropriate.
- CT or MRI scans of the head or neck are covered when the medical record documents the scan is reasonable and necessary for diagnostic evaluation.
- Coverage requires documentation supporting clinical indication such as history and physical exam findings, laboratory results, and signs or symptoms that justify the diagnostic test.
20 Active Policies
A57452 — Billing and Coding: Peripheral Nerve Blocks
J06
L36850 — Peripheral Nerve Blocks
J06
A57215 — Billing and Coding: MRI and CT Scans of the Head and Neck
A57498 — Billing and Coding: Chest X-Ray Policy
AETNA-CPB-0135 — Acupuncture and Dry Needling
Related Codes
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