# Global Periods in the ER



## ness01 (Feb 10, 2009)

Anyone with any input please feel free to give info. Are there be global periods in the ER for procedures done? I'm having lots of follow up in the ER.


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## SCanterbury (Feb 12, 2009)

When doing physician/provider-based billing, the global periods do not change depending on the location. If a laceration repair has a 10-day global, it has a 10-day global, no matter whether it's a primary care provider doing a follow-up visit for a laceration he sutured in the office a few days before, or an ED provider seeing a patient a few days after he sutured the laceration in the ED.

Seth Canterbury, CPC, ACS-EM


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## FTessaBartels (Feb 13, 2009)

*IF same provider*

The global period will apply if the same ER physician (or another ER physician in the same practice) performs the procedure and the follow-up.

If the original procedure was done elsewhere, and the patient is coming to the ER for follow-up, then code the appropriate E/M service. 

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC


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## ness01 (Feb 19, 2009)

Thank you for confirming that for me! Also, does anyone know where I can maybe find a complete list of procedures and their global periods? I am looking for a reliable source. Thanks again.


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## RebeccaWoodward* (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes...CMS

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/pfslookup/02_PFSsearch.asp?agree=yes&next=Accept

Select code range
Select "payment policy indicators"
next
next
enter CPT code(s)
On your modifier drop down key--select all modifiers 
submit
global days are the 3rd column (after the decription of the CPT code)


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## ness01 (Feb 19, 2009)

What if my employer is telling me to code follow up visits 99282's because that's the agreement between the company and the practice, regardless of global periods. I'm not sure that that is legal. Is it? Can I get in trouble for doing that? I know its medicare guidelines, so do I only have to use global periods for medicare charts?


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## mbort (Feb 19, 2009)

If you're employer has something in WRITING and SIGNED by the payor, then you are okay to follow those guidelines for that payor.


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