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What Does The Term " Backbench" Mean?

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CCO_Admin

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CCO Admin asked:

Good afternoon!!!! What does the term " backbench" mean?
Thank you in advance!!! ??

Answer:

* it means that the work being done - like on a transplant- is away from the patient. It could be a table right in the same operating room. Surgeons can perform backbench preparation and reconstruction at either the donor or the recipient site of service.

* An example code would be 44720 "Backbench reconstruction of cadaver or living donor intestine allograft prior to transplantation; venous anastomosis; each".

Find-A-Codes Common Language Description it says "Common Language Description
Backbench reconstruction of a cadaver or live donor intestinal allograft is performed prior to transplantation including venous anastomosis (44720) and/or arterial anastomosis (44721). In 44720; a vein graft that has been procured from the cadaver donor or from a live compatible donor is received on ice and bathed in cold preservation solution. The superior mesenteric vein attached to the intestinal allograft and the extension venous graft are sutured together in an end-to-end fashion. If additional venous extension grafts are required; each is reported separately. In 44721; an arterial graft that has been procured from the cadaver donor or from a live compatible donor is received on ice and bathed in cold preservation solution. The superior mesenteric artery attached to the intestinal allograft and the extension arterial graft are sutured together in an end-to-end fashion. If additional arterial extension grafts are required; each is reported separately."

Standard **backbench** (backtable) **preparation**

**Backbench work: Standard preparation of a cadaver donor**

EXAMPLE:

65756: Keratoplasty (corneal transplant); endothelial

+65757: **Backbench preparation** of corneal endothelial allograft prior to transplantation (list separately in addition to code for primary procedure).

For the surgeon; the first code is always used. The second; add-on code (+); only applies if the surgeon also performs the lamellar dissection of the donor tissue. If that work is done at the Eye Bank; the surgeon does not charge for **backbench** preparation. Trephination or punch does not qualify as 65757.

For 65756; the 2009 national Medicare Physician Fee Schedule amount for participating providers is $911.11. This is adjusted by local wage indices. No payment rate is published for the **backbench** work; payment for 65757 is determined by the Medicare administrative contractor on an individual basis.

Medicare assigns a global surgery period of 90 days for 65756; there is no global period for 65757.

**BACKBENCH PREPARATION** Tissue precut by the eye bank includes the cost of **backbench preparation** in the eye bank invoice charge. Tissue preparation done by the surgeon should be reported with surgical CPT code 65757.

**Backbench Preparation**.--Physician backbench standard preparation work; as defined by the Current Procedure Terminology code; performed on organs transplanted into a recipient are billed under Part B of the Medicare program to the transplant recipients health insurance number/account. Standard backbench preparation services are not included in organ acquisition costs on the cost report.
 
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