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Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Correction:

Correction:

Published on Thu Dec 20, 2012

 

The Reader Question "One Visit Does Not Equal Global Ob" in the January 2003 Ob-Gyn Coding Alert should have stated that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recognizes that there are instances when the physician may not see the patient for 13 antepartum visits, but you may still appropriately report the global ob package code. This assumes that no other physician has provided any antepartum care for the patient, the organization maintains. These instances include:
 
The patient enrolls late for her antepartum care. In this case, she may receive the equivalent of global ob care compressed into fewer than the usual 13 antepartum visits.
The patient may deliver prematurely. In this case, you may appropriately report the global ob codes, depending on the care provided and the insurers'requirements.

Previously, ACOG suggested using modifier -52 (Reduced services) when the obstetrician does not provide the full global ob package. But this has been revised recently. Now, the organization recommends that if the physician has not provided all global ob care or its equivalent, he or she should report each component of the global package (antepartum visits, delivery and postpartum care) separately according to which services he or she actually provides.

In addition, the February 2003 Reader Question "Report D&C With Hysteroscopy" should have stated that you should not report 58558 (Hysteroscopy, surgical; with sampling [biopsy] of endometrium and/or polypectomy, with or without D&C) or 58120 (Dilation and curettage, diagnostic and/or therapeutic [nonobstetrical]) with 58563 (� with endometrial ablation [e.g., endometrial resection, electrosurgical ablation, thermoablation]) because the National Correct Coding Initiative bundles 58558 and 58120 into 58563.

 

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