# Modifier usage:  76 vs 77



## Summer (May 23, 2012)

Good morning everyone,

Quick question,  if you have 10 physicians from the same speciality/same group who are reading EKGs for the hospital and a patient has 3 EKGs done on the same day and 3 different doctors from this same group read each EKG,  would you use a modifier -76 to mean several EKGs have been read by the same group of physicians or would you use modifier -77 to mean each of the (three) physicians from the same group read an EKG.

I've been using modifier -76 since the physicians are from the same group and same speciality.  Is this correct?

Thank you for your guidance.


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## mitchellde (May 23, 2012)

76 is repeat by the same physician and 77 is repeat by a different physician  so if there were 3 different EKGS performed all read by different physicians then you use the 77.


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## theresa.dix@tennova.com (Mar 5, 2013)

mitchellde said:


> 76 is repeat by the same physician and 77 is repeat by a different physician  so if there were 3 different EKGS performed all read by different physicians then you use the 77.



Id like to revive this thread. I am wondering if for repeat ekgs with the same group of physicians should use 76 mod because Medicare defines same physician as in the same group.??


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## Jess1125 (Mar 5, 2013)

theresa.dix@ethc.com said:


> Id like to revive this thread. I am wondering if for repeat ekgs with the same group of physicians should use 76 mod because Medicare defines same physician as in the same group.??



I'd be inclined to agree. I would use a -76 if I was coding for physicians that were in the same group, billing under the same tax ID number. 

Jessica CPC, CCC


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## theresa.dix@tennova.com (Mar 5, 2013)

Jess1125 said:


> I'd be inclined to agree. I would use a -76 if I was coding for physicians that were in the same group, billing under the same tax ID number.
> 
> Jessica CPC, CCC



Thanks Jessica.


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