Wiki Covering for another surgeon during a global period

[jdibble]

My surgeon was covering hospital rounds for another surgeon who was on vacation. The patient had a colectomy done which has a 90 day global. My surgeon is putting in charges for these visits. Can he bill for these visits? If he can, would he need a modifier, or just bill the appropiate subsequent visit code?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated - I've tried to look this up but I can't find a scenario that is like this!

Thanks,

 

[FTessaBartels]

Modifier 55

The surgeon who performed the surgery and then went on vacation should bill the procedure code(s) for the surgery with a 54 modifier.

Your physician, who is covering the post-operative care, should use the exact same procedure code(s) as the primary surgery, with a -55 modifier.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[jdibble]

Thanks Tessa - that helps, a little.

I am still confused since my doctor is only seeing the patient in the hospital post-op and when the surgeon returns he will resume the post-op care. So my physician isn't taking over the post-op care, just filling in for a visit or two. So I am not sure about those modifiers. Any further thoughts?