Wiki Billing Physician Assistants under supervisor as first assists

[adenyer]

?Billing Physician Assistants under supervisor as first assists?

Can we separately bill for a Physician Assistant that is not enrolled with an insurance carrier- under the supervison of an MD- as a surgical first assist? If so would we still use the modifier indicating first assist?

 

[ajs]

Can we separately bill for a Physician Assistant that is not enrolled with an insurance carrier- under the supervison of an MD- as a surgical first assist? If so would we still use the modifier indicating first assist?

You would have to check with that insurance carrier to see if they will allow billing a PA surgical assist under a supervising physician. I think that will probably be a "no". If the PA is not contracted with the insurance I think they will take issue with paying for those services.