What Supplies can Podiatrists Bill to Insurance Companies?

I have been questioned on more than one occasion, what a Podiatrist can bill an
insurance company for office supplies, or supplies used during office surgeries.
This is pretty basic information, but it may help some:


Supplies Associated With Office Surgery

The majority of supplies related to office surgery are considered part
of the surgical procedure. If a surgery performed in the office requires
casting material, you may bill these supplies in addition to the surgical
procedure code, on a separate line(s). When appropriate, you may use
the following HCPCS codes to bill casting material:

A4580.....................Plaster Cast
A4590.....................Fiberglass Cast
Q4037–Q4051........Cast/splint supplies (fiberglass or plaster, by age)

Supplies Associated With an Office Visit

Supplies are normally considered part of the office visit/surgery charge
and should not be billed separately. Examples of supplies considered
part of the office call/surgery include, but are not limited to:

• cotton balls • facial tissue • tongue depressors
• topical ointments • gloves • cotton swabs
• gowns • paper sheets/towels

Supplies should be billed only if they are “over and above those usually
included with the office visit.” Wellmark considers nonprescription or
over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, minerals, or nutritional supplements
noncovered materials. Bill these materials with procedure code 99070.

Noncovered services are the member's responsibility.
Unna Boots

Unna boots are commercially prepared, medically impregnated material
used as a support dressing. Use CPT code 29580 to bill unna
boots. Unna boots are a covered benefit when billed with one of these
primary diagnoses:

Primary Diagnoses for Unna Boots
HCPCS casting
codes
454.0
454.1
454.2
459.11
459.12
459.13
459.19
459.31
459.33
686.00–686.9
707.06
707.07
707.12
707.13
707.14
707.15
707.9
719.07
726.70
726.71
726.72
726.79
727.06
727.68
727.81
733.94
733.95
824.0–827.1
845.01
845.02
845.03
845.09
845.11
845.12
845.19
891.0
891.1
891.2
892.0
892.1
892.2
924.20
924.21
948.00
998.83