# Surgical Assists: PA, RNFA, Surgical Tech?



## acbarnes (Mar 10, 2009)

We just lost our 3rd PA over the last year. Our physcians are looking at different options for surgical assistants. I am researching each of our options. 

Option 1: Employ PA-we can bill and get paid for him/her regularly, but salary and travel limitations are a major concern. We have 9 physcians and 8 hospitals that they want to share between 2 PAs. Reimbursement may not cover salary and benefits completely. 

Option 2: Employ RNFA or Surgical Tech-Do ins companies reimburse for assists with these credentials (non MD or PA)? 

Option 3: Use an outside Surgical Assist Company (non MD). There is that good old "out of network" issue in which patients and ins companies call and complain that you used an out of network provider. 

What do your physcians do? If you use non MD or PA, let me know how reimbursement or patient calls are handled.


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## LLovett (Mar 10, 2009)

The providers I work with employ their own PA's but the hospital I work for also employs PA's and other non-credentialed surgical assistants. If they are employed by the hospital their services are included in the facility charge. Is that an option, do the facilities they go to have staff available to assist them? 

As far as I know you as the providers office can not be reimbursed for anyone other than the provider or a credentialed mid-level provider. So if you employ a nurse or a surg tech you can't bill for them.

Good luck,

Laura, CPC


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## mbort (Mar 10, 2009)

we have 7 docs, 3 PA's and one SA and we still require the use of outside SA's.


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## acbarnes (Mar 12, 2009)

Thank you for replying. Any information on what other practices are doing is helpful. 

Anna Barnes, CPC, CGSCS


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