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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Question:

Modifier -27

Published on Thu Mar 01, 2001

Question: Ive heard conflicting opinions on whether the new modifier -27 will affect anesthesia providers. When might we need to code with it?

Maine Subscriber

Answer: Modifier -27 (multiple outpatient hospital evaluation and management [E/M] encounters on the same date) was established for Medicares new outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS). Anesthesia providers rarely use E/M codes. However, some pain-management providers might use modifier -27 to report multiple E/M encounters with a patient or when treating critically ill patients, such as those in ICU, with ongoing pain-management needs.
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