Hi! I am somewhat newer to coding surgical procedures (I became CUC certified in June) so this case is complicated to me, but I'm hoping others can help me.
We have two physicians within our practice. Both did surgery on the same patient in the same day, but not at the same time. Doctor #1 performed a cysto with bilateral light-illuminating stent placement prior to a General Surgeon's procedure. Doctor #2 ended up being consulted intraoperatively by the General Surgeon for lack of efflux from the left ureteral orifice, after the General Surgeon's robotic portion of the case. Doctor #2 performed a cysto with left retrograde pyelogram.
Here is where I'm confused, because I've never had to code a scenario like this before. I want to code 52005 for both doctors, plus 74420-26 for Doctor #2. I'm having trouble with the modifier though. 80 does not seem correct as they did not really assist each other. 78 does not seem correct because a) the patient never even left the OR and b) it's not during the post-op period. I am thinking modifier 77?
Any help would be appreciated. I want to make sure I'm doing things correctly.
We have two physicians within our practice. Both did surgery on the same patient in the same day, but not at the same time. Doctor #1 performed a cysto with bilateral light-illuminating stent placement prior to a General Surgeon's procedure. Doctor #2 ended up being consulted intraoperatively by the General Surgeon for lack of efflux from the left ureteral orifice, after the General Surgeon's robotic portion of the case. Doctor #2 performed a cysto with left retrograde pyelogram.
Here is where I'm confused, because I've never had to code a scenario like this before. I want to code 52005 for both doctors, plus 74420-26 for Doctor #2. I'm having trouble with the modifier though. 80 does not seem correct as they did not really assist each other. 78 does not seem correct because a) the patient never even left the OR and b) it's not during the post-op period. I am thinking modifier 77?
Any help would be appreciated. I want to make sure I'm doing things correctly.
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