General Surgery Coding Alert

Question: Code 19101 has a 10-day global period, which means you cannot bill an E/M for anything related to that procedure within that time frame. If the patient continues to have follow-up visits outside the global period, should we then report the appropriate E/M level? Example: Patient has an open breast biopsy on June 15, so the global period goes through June 25. The patient then has additional follow-up visits on June 26, July 3, and July 10. What is the most appropriate way to bill for the three follow-up visits that the surgeon provides outside the global period? Does modifier 24 apply? Virginia Subscriber Answer: You are correct that 19101 (Biopsy of breast; open, incisional) has a 10-day global period. You should code each of the medically necessary office visits (99212-99215, Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient ...) that the surgeon [...]