Dermatology Coding Alert
Reader Questions:
You Can Ignore Modifier Indicator '9'
Published on Wed May 10, 2006
Question: What does the "9" in the modifier indicator column of the National Correct Coding Initiative edits mean?
Illinois Subscriber
Answer: The official explanation from Medicare is that "a 9 means that the use of modifiers is not specified." This indicator also marks all of the bundled pairs for which the deletion date is the same as the effective date -- bundles that were, essentially, never effective.
NCCI created this indicator so that there would be no blank spaces in the indicator field. Generally, bundles marked with "9" are bundles you don't have to worry about because they were never effective NCCI bundles.
Other Articles in this issue of
Dermatology Coding Alert
- 5 Steps Take the Heat Out of Burn Diagnoses
Make sure you know the questions to ask to choose the proper code With some [...] - Rely on 'Rule of Nines' to Determine Burn Percentages
Infants require different figures To assign the required fourth and fifth digits for diagnosis category [...] - 3 Case Studies Clear Away Excision Coding Confusion
Learn this simple trick to reporting re-excisions during the global period Coding all services involved [...] - Refresh Your NPP Incident-To Know-How With This Checklist
Don't confuse other payers' regulations with Medicare's Correctly billing your nonphysician practitioners' (NPPs') "incident-to" services [...] - You Be the Coder:
Cleanly Code an Apligraf Application
Question: If a dermatologist were to apply an Apligraf in his office, how would we [...] - Reader Questions:
Biopsy by Any Other Name Just Isn't the Same
Question: How should I code for an "excisional biopsy" that our dermatologist performed on a [...] - Reader Questions:
Pay Attention to Modifier 51 Symbol
Question: Our dermatologist often performs multiple procedures. Do I have to append modifier 51 every [...] - Reader Questions:
Paper Claim Doesn't Have to Mean Slow Filing
Question: Our payer says we are not in compliance with "timely filing" requirements when we [...] - Reader Questions:
Ask Doctor for Correct Units of Measurement
Question: How should I code for a 0.05-cc injection of Kenalog into an acne cyst? [...] - Reader Questions:
You Can Ignore Modifier Indicator '9'
Question: What does the "9" in the modifier indicator column of the National Correct Coding [...] - Reader Questions:
Weekend Visit Leads to 99050
Question: My dermatologist saw a patient in the office on a weekend. How should I [...]
View All
