# 51 Modifier Are U Using It?



## ALICE AAPC (Jan 8, 2008)

i JUST READ IN CMS PUBLICATION 100 THAT ANESTHESIA CAN USE MODIFIER 51 FOR MULTIPLE BILATERAL SURGERIES.  IF YOU HAVE USED IT CAN U EXPLAIN IT TO ME?

THANKS


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## amoraga (May 28, 2008)

*51 Modifier*

I Have Not Used It,   Sorry


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## amoraga (May 28, 2008)

I Have Not Used Modifier 51 For Anesthesia,  Sorry


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## NIENAJADLY (Jun 7, 2008)

*51 modifier*

We use -51 when we do more than 1 postop pain injection/catheter placement.  For example, when surgeon does a total knee replacement, our docs will many times do a sciatic block with a femoral catheter nerve block.  We put our -51 on the least expensive charge of the two, so it might look like 64448-59, 64445-59,51.  We recently saw guidance on this in (I think) the Pain Pink Sheet from Decision Health.  Other than this scenario, we don't use the -51.


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## LaSeille (Jun 10, 2008)

*51 modifier*

It can be used with acute/chronic pain injection codes.  It normally does not get used with the anesthesia codes (0 codes).


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