Wiki Modifier -73? for procedure not done

[nnicklin]

Coding for the ASC, pt came in for colonoscopy but due to the patients poor health the procedure was not done. The pt had an IV and received 4 units of sterile saline. Two finger sticks were performed and 2 units of insulin were administerd. The pt was admitted to the hospital after 4 hours in the ASC. The pt was never taken to the procedure room. I am unclear on the definition for modifier -73. To use modifier -73 does the pt have to be taken to the procedure room?

 

[Jamie Dezenzo]

-73 — Discontinued outpatient hospital/ASC procedure prior to the administration of anesthesia (A)

This modifier is appended to the CPT code for the intended procedure(s) to indicate that a procedure was terminated due to medical complications after the patient had been prepared for surgery and taken to the OR, but before anesthesia was induced. The ASC must have “expended significant resources” to charge for the scheduled procedures using this modifier, and the patient must be physically located in the OR or the procedure room where the procedure was to be performed in order to bill Medicare — the pre-op area is not allowed.

 

[nnicklin]

Thank you