Wiki post-op infection

[Colliemom]

If a patient develops an abscess at the surgical site (hernia repair) 2 weeks post-op, and the surgeon admits the patient for IV antibiotics, can he bill the admit with modifier -24?

thanks

 

[thomas7331]

Under CMS guidelines, complications of a procedure that do not require a return to the OR are considered a part of the global surgical package, so a modifier 24 would not qualify based on this alone. Modifier 24 would require documented factors that are unrelated to the procedure.

 

[Colliemom]

thanks