Wiki Global period

[LorrettaRMA]

Please HELP!!!
I need to know if u have a pt in a global period from a STSG application but the skingraft did not take and we needed to re-debride and applied an Epigraft to the wound in the office this time not the hospital how would you code this? Will I still need to apply modifier 58 and 79 or only one modifier?

 

[cgaston]

*nevermind---I read too fast and didn't comprehend the latter part of your question. Listen to thomas7331

 

[thomas7331]

If this is a Medicare patient, you cannot charge for this since Medicare considers "All additional medical or surgical services required of the surgeon during the post-operative period of the surgery because of complications, which do not require additional trips to the operating room" to be inclusive in the global surgical package. Per the description you've given, I don't believe it would meet the definition of a staged or unrelated procedure to qualify for either modifier 58 or 79. (per CMS "Modifier “-58” indicates that the performance of a procedure or service during the post-operative period was: • Planned prospectively or at the time of the original procedure • More extensive than the original procedure • For therapy following a diagnostic surgical procedure".) You may be able to be reimbursed for the skin substitute supply itself since that is not specified as excluded and does not require a modifier.