tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2004 Issue 11

Skip Modifier -59 for Repeat Procedures

Append -76 for repeats, but not for multiple select catheterizations Not all multiple procedures require the same modifier, and knowing the difference can mean fewer hassles later on.  Providers frequently append modifier -59 (Distinct procedural service) when modifier -76 (Repeat procedure by same physician) is the better choice, says Deborah Churchill, RTT, with Churchill Consulting in Killingworth, Conn. In a nutshell, modifier -59 is for a different procedure on the same patient, but modifier -76 describes the same procedure repeated on the same patient (usually on the same day). Therefore, if the surgeon performs the same procedure twice...

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