Post-op visit vs office visit

[bhong]

Hi to all,
just like to ask everyone if a patient has a previous operation and came back for a follow-up visit for the same condition, but already beyond the its global period and the patient is doing well with minor problem not that significant but somehow related to the previous problem, would you code it as a post-op visit (because the patient made the visit related to his problem) or a regular office visit (because it was already pass its global period)? anybody can comment & advice, really need help on this,a bit confuse , do appreciate the help.

Breif History:
The patient has cruciate & meniscal injury and done arthroscopy to his knee, after a few follow-up visits & rehabilitation Patient is doing well with minor problem of having slight pain 1/10 on descending stairs which rehab was taking care of it conservatively. Now made a follow-up visit to his Doctor 15 dys pass the global period of his surgery.

Thanks,

Bhong

[marci_ann]

I would imagine if it's past the global period, it would be a regular office visit. Thats just my two cents.

[bhong]

Hi Marci,
Thank you for that uplifting response, i can explain that to my doctor, and a follow up question for that, what if the documentation say's that it is a post Op visit, does it matter?

Thanks,
Bhong

[gherimicheleCPC]

Should be ok if after the global even for related or same condition.

[gherimicheleCPC]

Regular office visit and I would code the appropriate dx. code 719.46 for knee pain.

[bhong]

yes gherimichele that's what i had in mind, to code the knee pain just to be sure & a status post code.

Thanks again, hope to hear from you guys in my future queries.

Bhong

[FTessaBartels]

Well, I would look at how far PAST the global period the visit occured ... a couple of days? a week? 3 months?

If the previous visit asked for one more follow-up visit, but due to other circumstances, he couldn't schedule that final post-op visit until past the global period, (let's say patient was on vacation) I would still count it as part of the global surgical package.

Seems that the surgeon was looking at it this way by indicating "post-op visit."

Technically you could get away with coding it as an office visit, but doesn't sound as if that is what the surgeon intended.

Just my opinion.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

[armen]

I would bill regular office visit. My doctor often puts Dx V58.78 (post op) even though patient is not post op any more.

[TamaraM]

I agree if it is past the global period code it as an office visit- unless it is just a couple days out and the dr. says not to bill pt. There are some risks to billing 99024 out side the global period- http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/jul09/managing8.asp

[BerthaTorres]

Originally Posted by bhong

Hi to all,
just like to ask everyone if a patient has a previous operation and came back for a follow-up visit for the same condition, but already beyond the its global period and the patient is doing well with minor problem not that significant but somehow related to the previous problem, would you code it as a post-op visit (because the patient made the visit related to his problem) or a regular office visit (because it was already pass its global period)? anybody can comment & advice, really need help on this,a bit confuse , do appreciate the help.

Breif History:
The patient has cruciate & meniscal injury and done arthroscopy to his knee, after a few follow-up visits & rehabilitation Patient is doing well with minor problem of having slight pain 1/10 on descending stairs which rehab was taking care of it conservatively. Now made a follow-up visit to his Doctor 15 dys pass the global period of his surgery.

Thanks,

Bhong

I understand your frustration, if the visit is past the global surgical period you can bill for an office visit (established) if examination and findings were rendered.