Internal Medicine Coding Alert

Published on Fri Apr 28, 2006 PDF

Make 3 changes to VA superbill

Updating Veterans Affairs (VA) charge sheets with a single teaching assistant (TA) related modifier will ensure you don't receive denials for incorrect modifier usage.

When a resident in a VA facility performs part or all of an E/M service, you should now use modifier GR instead of modifier GC. "Modifier GR replaces both the GC and GE (Services performed by a resident ...) modifier in the VA setting," says Kathy Pride, CPC, CCS-P, director of consulting and training for QuadraMed in Reston, Va.
 
The GR modifier states that "This service was provided in whole or in part by a resident at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical center or clinic, supervised in accordance with VA policy." Modifier GR applies to care provided on or after Jan. 1, 2006.