Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: One of our physicians is taking some time off, and a temporary physician will take her place while she's gone. What code should I use to indicate that certain services were performed by the substitute physician?Alabama SubscriberAnswer: The general rule, particularly for Medicare and private payers that follow Medicare payment guidelines, is to use modifier Q6 (Service furnished by a locum tenens physician) when billing for substitutes. Locum tenens reporting guidelines govern all services provided to Medicare patients by a substitute physician. The modifier simply tells the payer that a locum tenens physician provided the services -- a one-way exchange between physicians.Rule of thumb: You must append modifier Q6 to every procedure code on a claim for a substitute physician. But remember, you should still send the bill out under the regular physician's name. For instance, when a substitute physician provides a level-two E/M for an established patient, you [...]