Thanks again, but I must not be making my question clear. I agree that D0470 is for Study models/Diagnostic casts, but D0470 is for the
procedure of making the cast, not for the supplies used (or only a
very tiny amount for supplies). Nearly all of the cost of the D0470 procedure is the time involved for the health professional to ensure that a good cast is obtained. Thus, a code for supplies will not capture the cost of the health professional’s time in making the cast.
It may be (as some tell me) that there is no medical code corresponding to D0470. Yet, both the insurer I am dealing with and the Aetna link you kindly provided require that a diagnostic cast/study model (i.e., a cast obtained by performing the D0470 procedure) be submitted to the insurer’s medical reviewers to make a determination of medical necessity for the surgery. So, we are in the position of the insurer requiring the submission of results from a diagnostic procedure for which they provide no way to bill, since they refuse to process D0470.
In one online forum, someone suggested using 21085 (with modifier 52) for Impression and custom preparation of an oral surgical splint to substitute for D0470, but no surgical split is being prepared, though an impression is being taken. Also, the cost for 21085 is very high compared to what dental insurance normally pays for D0470 when used for dental purposes (which is not the case here). Here's the link:
https://www.aapc.com/mem...xillofacial-surgery.htmlIf you have any additional information, that would be most appreciated. But if this is mission impossible, thanks for your time.