What this is, in plain language
A minimally invasive surgery that uses a small camera and instruments inserted through tiny incisions to repair or trim damaged meniscus cartilage in the knee.
Why a clinician orders it
Persistent knee pain, locking, or catching due to a meniscus tear that has not improved with conservative care.
Medical necessity — what insurers usually look at
Most insurers expect documentation of conservative treatment (PT, anti-inflammatories, time) and MRI findings before approving surgery for typical degenerative meniscus tears (per AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines).
Documentation to ask about
- ✓MRI findings
- ✓Duration of symptoms
- ✓Conservative treatment tried
- ✓Surgeon's operative plan
Questions for your provider
- ?Is the surgery center in my network?
- ?Is the anesthesia team in my network?
- ?Has prior auth been approved in writing?
Why this code is in our seed set
Most-billed knee arthroscopy code in the CMS Top 200 Ranked by Services.
Validated against
- •CMS Top 200 Level I CPT Codes Ranked by Services
- •AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline, Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
- •AMA CPT code 29881 descriptor
Terms you'll see
The insurer is reviewing whether the service is clinically appropriate for your situation.
Some services may need plan approval before they are performed.
Lower-risk care that insurers may want documented before a bigger procedure.