Wiki Co Surgeon Question

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IRISHCODER

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Our surgeons have another surgeon perform the opening and sometimes closing for them during some of our procedures. After the opening is complete, our surgeon performs many other procedures without the aid of the opening surgeon. The opening surgeon isn't at the table at all during the time my surgeon performs these other procedures.
My question is do we append the 62 only to the CPT code representing the procedure that would include the opening or to ALL the procedures performed that day? Does the opening surgeon append the 62 to the same single CPT code that we did, or does he also bill ALL the other procedures that my surgeon performed without his assistance? Can you tell me where to find documented guidelines or evidence on how this is to be billed? Thanks!
 
62

FROM MY EXPERIENCE EACH SURGEON PERFORMS A PART OF AN INDIVIDUAL PROCEDURE.



IRISHCODER said:
Our surgeons have another surgeon perform the opening and sometimes closing for them during some of our procedures. After the opening is complete, our surgeon performs many other procedures without the aid of the opening surgeon. The opening surgeon isn't at the table at all during the time my surgeon performs these other procedures.
My question is do we append the 62 only to the CPT code representing the procedure that would include the opening or to ALL the procedures performed that day? Does the opening surgeon append the 62 to the same single CPT code that we did, or does he also bill ALL the other procedures that my surgeon performed without his assistance? Can you tell me where to find documented guidelines or evidence on how this is to be billed? Thanks!
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62 modifier Example

Irishcoder ..
Let's say your surgeon is doing an anterior spinal fusion for a patient with scoliosis and/or kyphosis, 2-3 vertebral segments. And a general surgeon is opening and/or closing for this procedure. (This is a relatively common procedure for our surgeons.)

EACH surgeon will code 22808 (-62) - that's the basic, primary procedure being done.

Your surgeon would also be coding for the instrumentation and possibly for bone grafting. The general surgeon would NOT code these additional procedures.

It's important when you have a co-surgery scenario to have a dialogue with the other surgeon's coder. You must BOTH use the same code, with -62 modifier.

Does that help answer your question?

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M
 
62 modifier

I billed for Neuro for several years and we always had a general surgeon open/close on our 360 fusions. Make sure that your doc dictates the participation of the other physician, and you both bill the same code w/62....as well as your physician billing the procedures he perform. Neurosurgery is an exciting field....enjoy!!!:D
 
EACH surgeon must dictate

For Co-surgeries, EACH surgeon must dictate an operative note (listing the other surgeon as co-surgeon), detailing what s/he did.

For Assist (mod 80 or 82 or AS), only the primary surgeon dictates, listing the assistant surgeon and outlining what the assistant did.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M
 
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