How is dry needling typically billed in a clinical setting?

In clinical settings, dry needling is typically billed under physical therapy services or manual therapy codes. This is because dry needling is considered a skilled intervention performed by licensed physical therapists as part of a treatment plan for various musculoskeletal conditions. The use of specific billing codes facilitates accurate reimbursement from insurance companies and aligns the service with established physical therapy practices.

Billing under physical therapy services is essential since it emphasizes that dry needling is a therapeutic technique aimed at addressing myofascial pain, improving function, and promoting healing. In contrast, billing it as a massage therapy session or acupressure treatment would misrepresent the nature and intent of the intervention, as these practices do not encompass the same clinical reasoning or objectives associated with dry needling.

Furthermore, the notion of billing with no code required is not applicable, as all therapeutic procedures in a clinical setting must be accounted for through appropriate coding to ensure compliance with insurance and regulatory standards.