tci Part B Insider - 2008 Issue 40

Reader Question: Obesity May Not Merit the Use of Modifier 22 in All Cases

If you do append modifier 22 in obesity cases, you should double and triple check your documentation to warrant the extra pay.Question: Our physician performed open treatment of a bimalleolar fracture on an obese patient. Is it acceptable for us to append modifier 22 to the procedure code to indicate the extra work performed due to the patient's obesity?Answer: The fact that the patient is obese is not necessarily enough reason to append modifier 22 (Increased procedural services) to a procedure code (such as 27814, Open treatment of bimalleolar ankle fracture [e.g., lateral and medial malleoli...

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