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Urology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Avoid 62 for Different Procedures

Published on Sun Jun 14, 2009

Question: I have a situation where my doctor and another doctor (not associated with our group) performed surgery together. My doctor did the sling (57288) and after he was done the other doctor did a rectocele repair (45560). The dictation done by my doctor clearly states: The vaginal incision was closed using 2-0 Vicryl stitch. The rectocele repair will be dictated by Dr. XYZ. Does this meet the standard for modifier 62 as two primary surgeons performing distinct part(s) of a procedure, or should I use modifier 80 as they each performed their own separate procedures? Alaska Subscriber Answer: In your clinical scenario each physician would bill and code for the procedure he performed. So your physician would report 57288 (Sling operation for stress incontinence [e.g., fascia or synthetic]) and the other physician would report 45560 (Repair of rectocele [separate procedure]). If the physicians did in fact assist each other, [...]
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