# modifiers with wound care



## hrange (Jan 3, 2011)

I am VERY new to wound clinic coding and seem to have an issue with what I thought was an appropriate use of modifier 58.

We have a patient that the Dr performed debriement of wound 9active wound management) along with negative pressure wound therapy.

I coded this chart as 97597 & 97605 with modifier 58 but now medicare is denying as a bundled service.

Can someone explain this to me? I am usnure as to why they are saying it is bundled when PN stated clearing that he did both and NCCI edits says a modifier can be applied??


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## Grintwig (Jan 5, 2011)

58 is not a valid modifier for 97605 per Payer Path (and neither is -51) that may be why they are still denying it.
59 is a valid modifier but you can only use it if the wound vac is a separate and distinct service from the removal of devitalized tissue. It seems to me as if the wound vac may be included in the 97597......


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