# Locum Tenens



## nervousnell (Oct 15, 2008)

If a provider has a contracted four day work week, can the practice hire Locum Tenens to cover the days that the provider is not in the office, billing under that provider?  Thanks 
K Frazier, CPC


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## LLovett (Oct 20, 2008)

My thinking on this is no. The locum tenens arrangement is to cover times when the regular physician would normally be there but is not due to vacation, illness, pregnancy, etc...Below is the link to cms web site

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Transmittals/Downloads/R1335CP.pdf

If the physician is not scheduled to be in the office because they only work 4 days a week but the office wants to provide coverage that would just be  supplementing services and that is not the intention of locum tenens policy as I understand it.

Laura, CPC


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## clikens (Dec 10, 2008)

*Locum Tenen*

Katmyrn is correct.  Your locum tenens provider can't be there on a "regular basis".  If a locum tenens provider is used, be sure to bill under a provider who is normally in the office along with the appropriate modifier.


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