EM Coding Alert
POS Won't Eliminate Global Period
Question: Does the global period of a surgical procedure, such as 11642, apply when a non-surgeon does the procedure in a primary care office? We have a certified family nurse practitioner (FNPC) who is insisting that “she does not bill global procedures as a surgeon’s office does.” Does the 11642 have to be performed by a surgeon for the global period to apply?
Codify Subscriber
Answer: No, a procedure does not have to be performed by a surgeon or in a certain place of service for the global period to apply. Code 11642 (Excision, malignant lesion including margins, face, ears, eyelids, nose, lips; excised diameter 1.1 to 2.0 cm) carries a 10-day global period, even in the office.
According to Medicare, “global surgery applies in any setting, including an inpatient hospital, outpatient hospital, ambulatory surgical center (ASC), and physician’s office.”
Resource: You can show your FNPC this information to help her understand the rules: www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/downloads/GloballSurgery-ICN907166.pdf.
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