Gastroenterology Coding Alert

Question: One of our physicians is going out of the country on vacation. Were bringing in a replacement physician to handle his patients. Is there a special way to code for the replacement physician?

Kansas Subscriber

Answer: Locum tenens describes a one-way exchange between providers. Your physician retains a substitute physician to take over the practice for such reasons as illness, pregnancy, vacation, or continuing medical education. The substitute physician generally is paid a fixed amount per diem.

To report locum tenens services, append modifier Q6 (Service furnished by a locum tenens physician) to all of the temporary physicians claims and bill under your physicians (whom the locum is replacing) NPI.

Medicare will only allow a locum tenens physician to provide services to Medicare patients for 60 continuous days, which begin with the first day the substitute physician provides covered services, and continues without interruption even on days when no services are provided to your patients.

Homework: Go to your Medicare carriers Web site and search for locum. Physician assistants and nurse practitioners cannot use locum tenens.