Summary & Overview
CPT 0214T: Ultrasound-Guided Cervical/Thoracic Paravertebral Facet Joint Injection
CPT code 0214T denotes an ultrasound-guided injection of a diagnostic or therapeutic agent into an additional cervical or thoracic paravertebral facet joint or the nerves that exit the joint. This image-guided procedure is used for pain management or to deliver anesthetic prior to surgery and is significant nationally as a targeted, minimally invasive intervention within spine care and pain medicine. It is relevant to clinicians, facility billing staff, and payers because correct coding affects coverage determinations, site-of-service reporting, and claims adjudication.
Key payers covered in this analysis include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. Readers will find a concise clinical context for the procedure, typical sites of service, and what to expect in payer coverage approaches. The publication provides benchmarks for utilization and reimbursement where available, notes applicable policy clarifications and prior authorization tendencies among major payers, and explains billing considerations specific to ultrasound-guided paravertebral facet joint or nerve injections. Data not available in the input is noted explicitly where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CPT code 0214T describes injection of a diagnostic or therapeutic agent under ultrasound guidance into an additional cervical or thoracic paravertebral facet joint or the nerves that exit the joint. The procedure may be performed to relieve pain or to administer an anesthetic for a surgical procedure.
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Service type: Image-guided paravertebral facet joint or nerve injection (diagnostic or therapeutic)
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Typical site of service: Outpatient surgical center or hospital outpatient setting; may also be performed in ambulatory procedure clinics or physician offices equipped for ultrasound-guided interventions.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 54-year-old patient with chronic axial neck pain and facet-mediated radicular symptoms presents to an outpatient interventional pain clinic. After conservative care including oral analgesics, physical therapy, and a prior medial branch block with temporary relief, the physician schedules ultrasound-guided diagnostic/therapeutic paravertebral facet joint injection to the cervical or upper thoracic region to confirm the pain generator and to deliver corticosteroid and/or local anesthetic for symptom relief. The procedure is performed in an ambulatory surgical center or hospital outpatient department with continuous ultrasound imaging to identify the targeted facet joint or exiting nerve, sterile technique, and conscious sedation or local anesthesia as needed. The clinician documents indication, informed consent, targeted levels, laterality, medication(s) and volumes injected, imaging guidance as ultrasound, any intra-procedure complications, and post-procedure monitoring and discharge instructions. Typical workflow includes pre-procedure evaluation, time‑out, ultrasound localization, needle placement under direct visualization, injection of diagnostic and/or therapeutic agent, observation for recovery, and discharge with follow-up instructions for pain response and any procedural complications.
Coding Specifications
| Modifier | Description | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
00 | No modifier — standard reporting | Use when no additional modifier is required for the service. |