tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2003 Issue 7

Global Periods, Part 2: To Bill or Not to Bill? Handle Complications the Right Way

Although not uncommon, complications following surgery are an uncommonly troublesome coding challenge. Because CPT and CMS definitions of typical postoperative care differ significantly, whether you should report post-op complications depends on the payer as well as the services or procedures provided. Whats Typical? It Depends on Whom You Ask  Under the concept of a global surgical package, carriers bundle or include payment for services integral to a surgical procedure as a part of the procedure and not independently reportable for separate reimbursement, says Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CHBME, president of Cash Flow Solutions Inc., a physician...

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