tci Part B Insider - 2007 Issue 18

READER QUESTION: When Should You Use The 79 Modifier For Post-Operative Issues?

How 'unrelated' is 'unrelated to the original surgery?Question: A recent issue of Part B Insider advised coders to use the 79 modifier for post-operative complications (see PBI, Vol. 8, No. 15). Shouldn't this be the 78 modifier? New York Subscriber Answer: You should use modifier 79 to report an unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period, says Maxine Lewis with Medical Coding Reimbursement Management in Cincinnati. It's pretty unusual that a complication of a procedure wouldn't be -directly related to the original procedure.- Complications such as infection, hemorrhage or dehiscence are all...

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