BC Advantage - 2021 Issue 7

Getting Paid for Assistants at Surgery: Modifiers 80, 81, 82, and AS

When a surgical assistant is called in to help with part or all of a surgical procedure, that individual's portion of the work needs to be reported with the usual CPT code, along with the appropriate physician modifier to show the status of the assistant. Payment for a surgical assistant, or assistant at surgery, is based on the CPT coding guidelines and the policies set by Medicare and non-Medicare payers. The operative report must also include the name and title of the surgical assistant, the specific services performed, and the reason they were medically necessary. Without this critical...

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