I would really appreciate input on experiences when the surgeon has an assistant(surgeon) for a AAA repair and right iliac stent placement; bilateral groin cutdowns and bilateral aortogram. Medicare does not "allow" an assist and this particular surgeon does not indicate on the op note why the assistant is needed. She recognizes the assist in the overall conclusion of the procedures, as in Complications: none; urine output: 700 mL; Assistant: Dr. __________. The surgeon is quite verbal and kind of new and says that it is ridiculous that the assistant doesn't get paid and that wherever she came from they had 2 surgeons every time they did this certain surgery. The chances are slim that she will write a letter or an addendum to support the assist. Has anyone had a similar experience or gotten paid after appealing these assist not allowed procedures?
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Wiki AAA repair assist
- Thread starter efuhrmann
- Start date
lisammy
Guru
Was this an open repair or an EVAR. I am assuming it was an EVAR, We bill with an assistant all the time. You can add an-80 to 34812(cut down) and also to the main graft code(34800-34805)all other codes in a typical EVAR will not allow an assistant.