# Global Period Surgery



## ehearns (Oct 2, 2007)

Topic:
E&M serivces during global period.  

Question:
Can the same provider bill for E&M 99231-99235 codes when seeing hospital based clients during the global period days - '010 ' and '090'???  Does this apply to any other codes?

Your thoughts are truly appreciated.  Much Thanks.

Eddie Hearns, CPC


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## kevbshields (Oct 4, 2007)

Eddie:

I'll try to make this concise.

Typically the surgery provider (who's billing for the surgery service) would not charge for follow-up in the hospital/office.  (See CPT Surgery Guidelines.)

The exception is if/when the patient develops an unrelated co-morbility/complication, etc (Mod-24 may be assigned); It is sometimes possible that the surgery service will "sign off" on the patient, perhaps doing very random follow-up during a lengthy stay.  Another service (Medicine, for example) may follow/manage the patient.  If a consultation or follow-up is requested--and you can justify how the condition, presentation or service is unrelated to that surgical care--you may be able to pick up those services with the E/M codes.

As for other procedures/services, most should be "codeable".  For instance, if the surgeon subsequently must perform bedside wound debridement for a complicated wound healing, those services could be correctly assigned.  As for payment of those services, that may be a problem area.  Be sure you're using modifiers on anything that could be considered incident to or "routine" post-operative care.

I hope this helps some.

Good luck to you.  If I haven't touched on your specific, you can private message me and I'll do my best.


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## ehearns (Oct 15, 2007)

*appreciation*

Thank you.

Eddie


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