New Jersey Subscriber
Answer: You can adopt this new rule of thumb: Don't use an unlisted-procedure code instead of modifier -22 (Unusual procedural services) to report additional time and effort spent performing a procedure.
Claims for unlisted-procedure codes and claims using modifier -22 both require the same amount of documentation and they take equally as much effort to submit. What's the difference? If your claim for modifier -22 gets denied, you will be paid the fee for the procedure code alone. But if the carrier denies your unlisted-procedure code claim, the physician may not receive any reimbursement.