Billing and Coding: Varicose Veins of the Lower Extremity, Treatment of

Medicare coverage for treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremity requires documentation of symptomatic varicose veins, failure of an adequate trial of conservative therapy, and diagnostic confirmation (e.g., duplex ultrasound) of venous incompetence with specification of location and number of varicosities. Specific documentation requirements include history/physical, exclusion of other causes, justification for ultrasound guidance, and pre-treatment photographs for sclerotherapy; limits include a maximum of three sclerotherapy sessions per leg, one sclerotherapy service reported per session per leg, and generally only one saphenous ablation per leg.

"Treatment is covered for patients with a documented diagnosis of symptomatic varicose veins of the lower extremity."

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