General Surgery Coding Alert

Question: I heard that there was an update about modifier GT but don’t understand it. Could you please explain the update and what it might mean for our surgery practice?

Utah Subscriber

Answer: CMS recently provided an update on this modifier in MM10583, Change Request (CR) 10583. This update revised earlier information about modifier GT (Via interactive audio and video telecommunication systems). The revision corrects the effective date of modifier GT. So, as of October 1, 2018, modifier GT is only allowed on institutional claims billed by a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Method II.

Before this change, providers submitted claims for telehealth using the appropriate CPT^® code along with modifier GT. Then, CMS dropped the modifier requirement and now requires you to append place of service (POS) code 02 (Telehealth) to describe services furnished via telehealth.

Bottom line: As of October 1, 2018, make sure your claims for patient services your surgeons provide via interactive audio or video telecommunications doesn’t include modifier GT. Instead, ensure that you’re using POS code 02 on those claims.