What are Modifiers?

A modifier provides the means by which the medical coder or biller can report that a service or procedure performed by a physician or provider has been altered by some specific circumstance, but not changed in its definition or code. The judicious application of modifiers makes reporting separate procedure listings to describe specific circumstances unnecessary.

Modifiers may be used to indicate that:

• A service or procedure has both a professional and technical component
• A service or procedure was performed by more than one physician and/or in more than one location
• A service or procedure has been increased or reduced
• Only part of a service was performed
• An adjunctive service was performed
• A bilateral procedure was performed
• A service or procedure was provided more than once
• Unusual events occurred
• Specific information such as on which digit a procedure was performed