Wiki -78 with postop visit

[racheleporterwilliams]

please help me
at the 1st postop visit surgeon decides to go back to OR for hardware complications
I know to use -78 but can I use 99024 or applicable ofc visit code?

 

[FTessaBartels]

-78 on surgery

The -78 modifier will go on the surgery.

The office visit at which the problem was identified ...
Medicare (or T-19) just won't pay for any office visits in the postoperative period unless it is COMPLETELY unrelated to the original surgery. So you'll be using 99024 for the postop follow-up with no charge.

Some commercial payers MIGHT accept an established office visit with a -24 modifier and a dx that is different from the original dx for the surgery.

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[racheleporterwilliams]

Thanx

the -78 modifier will go on the surgery.

The office visit at which the problem was identified ...
Medicare (or t-19) just won't pay for any office visits in the postoperative period unless it is completely unrelated to the original surgery. So you'll be using 99024 for the postop follow-up with no charge.

Some commercial payers might accept an established office visit with a -24 modifier and a dx that is different from the original dx for the surgery.

Hope that helps.

F tessa bartels, cpc, cemc