Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: A patient delivered a baby via a c-section. The ob-gyn discovered that the patient has cancer and called in another doctor to perform the hysterectomy. How should I bill the second doctor? Should I use 58150 with modifier -62 (Two surgeons)?

Washington Subscriber

Answer: The other surgeon did the hysterectomy, so this would not be co-surgery by the obstetrician (unless of course you have documentation from the ob that describes what part of the hysterectomy he did). In this case, the other surgeon should report 58150 (Total abdominal hysterectomy [corpus and cervix], with or without removal of tube[s], with or without removal of ovary[s]), and if the ob then assisted, you can try 58150 with modifier -80 (Assistant surgeon).
 
Note: Code +59525 (Subtotal or total hysterectomy after cesarean delivery [list separately in addition to code for primary procedure]) is not appropriate in this case. The surgeon who performed both the cesarean and the hysterectomy would report this code.