# Global Period - minor surgeries



## dballard2004 (Jan 21, 2009)

A provider in one of my clinics is questioning the global period follow-up for minor surgeries.  He states that the follow-up period is 10 visits--not 10 days as I have educated him.  Can someone please clarify if it is 10 days  or 10 visits and where can I find reference to this?  Thanks.


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## mariaklein (Jan 21, 2009)

*Global Period*

Where in the world did your doc hear that???? lol

CMS website is probably the best place to find your answer.  I found this in the Carrier Manual:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/downloads/clm104c12.pdf

Section 40.1  Gives the definition of Global Surgery.  Section C defines the Global package.

Hope this helps!


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Jan 21, 2009)

A surgery with 0 (zero) to 10 follow-up (postoperative) days is considered minor
surgery.
&#56256;&#56510; The global period for minor surgeries includes the day of surgery and the
appropriate number of days immediately following the day of surgery.

http://www.medicarenhic.com/providers/pubs/General Surgery Guide.pdf


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## Anna Weaver (Jan 21, 2009)

*global period*



dballard2004 said:


> A provider in one of my clinics is questioning the global period follow-up for minor surgeries.  He states that the follow-up period is 10 visits--not 10 days as I have educated him.  Can someone please clarify if it is 10 days  or 10 visits and where can I find reference to this?  Thanks.



Wow, I haven't ran across this before, I assumed everyone knew it was by days, but after you said this, you really can't find this distinction in a lot of places. I do have a book "Procedural Coding Professional 2009" and this book lists global days. I thought I would look up on PFS and it doesn't list "days" specifically, it just lists 000. In my book it also lists 000, and then if it's a minor surgery lists 010 and major lists 090 under global days. 

http://www.rivaleeasbell.com/articles/globalsurgery1.pdf.
try this article and see if that helps.


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## dballard2004 (Jan 21, 2009)

My understanding has always been that it was days and not visits.


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## Lisa Bledsoe (Jan 22, 2009)

Think of it as a global period which would be the number of DAYS immediately related to the procedure.  A 90 day global period includes the day before sugery.  See if this link helps - 

http://www.medicarenhic.com/providers/billing/billing_calc_global_period.html

You may need to copy and paste in your browser.


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## dballard2004 (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for the help on this.  I guess looking at it this way....if it was 10 visits, then the global period could last a year or more depending on when the  patient follow-up with the provider. I will check out these links.


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## crhunt78 (Jan 29, 2009)

Try looking in the Federal Register


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