Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: Another pediatrician is filling in at our practice while a physician goes on vacation. Should I use a modifier when billing for the locum tenens physician?

Florida Subscriber Answer: To bill the locum tenens physician's services, you should bill the appropriate code, such as 99201-99215 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of a new or established patient ...), under the regular pediatrician's name and append modifier -Q6 (Service furnished by a locum tenens physician) to the service. If the substitute pediatrician performs a level-three established patient office visit, you should report 99213-Q6 with your vacationing pediatrician's name.