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Wiki 1ST ASSISTANT CODING
- Thread starter MamaBear8
- Start date
I would advise that many insurances will not reimburse for CSA/LSA assistant at surgery. In fact, I am not aware of any that will, but I don't have firsthand knowledge for ALL insurance companies.
Modifier -AS is defined as Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery.
CSA/LSA does not meet that definition, therefore -AS is not appropriate unless you have specific written guidance from the insurance stating it is their policy.
My own personal 2 cents from my experience:
Since PAs & NPs are reimbursed, and can also provide additional services like discharge orders, writing Rx, answering patient questions, postop care, etc., it is worth the additional salary expense for a PA/NP vs CSA/LSA for a busy surgeon. My surgeons can do an additional 2-3 surgeries each day by having the PA/NP handle these items for him.
Modifier -AS is defined as Physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist services for assistant at surgery.
CSA/LSA does not meet that definition, therefore -AS is not appropriate unless you have specific written guidance from the insurance stating it is their policy.
My own personal 2 cents from my experience:
Since PAs & NPs are reimbursed, and can also provide additional services like discharge orders, writing Rx, answering patient questions, postop care, etc., it is worth the additional salary expense for a PA/NP vs CSA/LSA for a busy surgeon. My surgeons can do an additional 2-3 surgeries each day by having the PA/NP handle these items for him.
Pam Warren
True Blue
A CSA/LSA is not a reimbursable provider under most plans. Hospitals often use them, but just like nurses, are a cost of doing business on the facility side and are not billed on the professional side. You may be able to recoup the expense of their salary with increased productivity, but I don't know of any payers that will cover them, nor any billing method to do so.