Dear RDH:
I am writing in reference to the article, "Healthy Maintenance of Perio Falls Under New Insurance Codes," January 1997). In her article, Lynn Miller cites ADA code 09610 as the insurance code for the professional (in-office) oral irrigation procedures (per quadrant). It should be noted that ADA code 09610 is the procedure code for therapeutic injection (example, intramuscular, intravenous). Code 09610 applies to drugs that are administered by injection only and should not be used to identify oral irrigation procedures.
When a drug or medicament is delivered via a route other than injection (oral irrigation, for example), the ADA Code is 09330 - drugs and/or medicaments by report. This code applies to prescription drugs and/or medicaments only. Code 09630 should be used when delivery of a drug and/or medicament is performed separately from scaling and root planing. A narrative should accompany the claim. If a patient receives the drug and/or medicament in conjunction with the scaling and root planing procedures it is not to be identified separately. Rather it is considered part of the therapy and should be included with the quadrant scaling and root planing, Code 04341.
Anne M. Podraza, RDH
Old Bridge, New Jersey
