jovibon110@gmail.com
Networker
I bill surgeries out with 54 mod if I know patient is not doing post op care with us. They usually are from out of state and return home after surgery. I have never rec'd a call from another office asking what code I billed etc so they can bill the 55 mod. We in turn have never contacted another office to see what they have billed - we have just billed E & M codes. In researching this, I found you have to have a transfer of care from the doctor who did the surgery and this has to be documented in the patient chart to bill the 55 modifier for post op care only and that if there is not one in place you default to E & M code. Have also heard a lot of offices don't do this since the Doctors don't want to mess with doing a transfer of care. Anybody have thoughts or have dealt with this issue??