# Physical Status Modifiers-I am getting



## Katie18713 (Aug 30, 2012)

I am getting ready for my exam and have been taking practice exams one question had the right code with modifiers in different orders so I looked in the modifiers appendix and it states that physical status modifiers come before other appropriate modifiers, so I answered it with the physical status modifier first and got it wrong. The rational for the test had nothing about why they coded it the way they did so I did some research and all I can find is that physical status modifiers come after anesthesia modifiers (AA, AD, QK, QX, QY, QZ) so my question is:

Do physical status modifiers come after other HCPCS modifiers? and, Do any other CPT modifiers ever come before the physical status modifiers? How do I know what modifier comes first in other situations?


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## mcnaryk (Aug 30, 2012)

katierickspierce@gmail.com said:


> I am getting ready for my exam and have been taking practice exams one question had the right code with modifiers in different orders so I looked in the modifiers appendix and it states that physical status modifiers come before other appropriate modifiers, so I answered it with the physical status modifier first and got it wrong. The rational for the test had nothing about why they coded it the way they did so I did some research and all I can find is that physical status modifiers come after anesthesia modifiers (AA, AD, QK, QX, QY, QZ) so my question is:
> 
> Do physical status modifiers come after other HCPCS modifiers? and, Do any other CPT modifiers ever come before the physical status modifiers? How do I know what modifier comes first in other situations?



In my experience, only ASA (anesthesia CPT) codes use physical status modifiers-I've never used them for a HCPCS code and I have been billing anesthesia for 5 years. We usually put the anesthesia modifier (AA, AD, QK, etc.) before the physical status modifier (P1-P6). So, for example, the charge for an anesthesiologist performing anesthesia on a healthy patient for cataract surgery with no CRNA on the case would be 00142, AA, P1. What gets tricky is that Medicare does not pay for/recognize physical status modifiers, so we usually don't even bother to report those for Medicare patients. Another thing to remember about physical status modifiers is that the anesthesia provider determines those-the coder can NOT pick a physical status modifier. I hope this helps-good luck with your test!


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## aftab.alam620@gmail.com (Sep 25, 2022)

Agree with MCNARYK


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