Orthopedic Coding Alert

Focus on the surgeon's documentation, not the appointment book.If you want to ensure you get paid for services your orthopedic surgeon performs after a major procedure while you're still billing in the global period of the procedure, you need to know the ins and outs of modifier 24 (Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician during a postoperative period:...). Even seasoned billers struggle with this modifier at times.Overcome modifier 24 claim challenges by busting five myths that will lead to denial after denial if you fall into their billing trap. In part one of this two-part series, we'll bust the first two myths about when you should use modifier 24.Myth #1: Modifier 24 Applies To Any Service Done In the Post-Op PeriodYou should only append modifier 24 to an appropriate E/M code when an E/M service occurs during a postoperative global period for reasons unrelated to the original [...]