# The fabulous modifier AI....help!



## maryanneheath (Aug 9, 2011)

Hi everyone, 

I am now really confused about this modifier.  I understood that modifier AI was to be used by the admitting or attending physician and not the specialty care physician (we are an orthopedics practice).

Below is a passage from the AAOS Musculoskeletal coding guide for 2011:

"Because of the new Medicare payment rules on coding consultations, when billing Medicare for inpatient facility consultations, physicians should use initial hospital patient visit codes 99221-99223.  *In addition, the consulting physician should add a Medicare specific modifier, "AI" to indicate he or she is the consulting physician.  This modifier is necessary because both the consulting and requesting physician will be billing the initial hosptial patient visit codes; to distinguish between the requesting and the consulting physician, the consulting physician is required to add the AI modifier.*

This is in direct contradiction to what CMS says, so I am wondering if I blinked and something changed along the way?  Any clarity would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx!!!!   
MaryAnne


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## rthames052006 (Aug 9, 2011)

maryanneheath said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am now really confused about this modifier.  I understood that modifier AI was to be used by the admitting or attending physician and not the specialty care physician (we are an orthopedics practice).
> 
> ...



That is bad information.  The Attending Physician appends the AI modifier.  " You didn't blink" ! LOL


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## maryanneheath (Aug 9, 2011)

Thank you very much for your response.  I am going to try to contact the AAOS and make them aware of this misinformation!


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