Wiki Co-surgery? Incisional hernia repair/Component separation

[shellabell32]

Hi, I work for a general surgeon that did a repair of an incarcerated incisional hernia. Because of the size of the defect a plastic surgeon assisted on the repair and then the plastic surgeon did an abdominal wall reconstruction/component separation. They both dictated separated operative reports My doctor is listed as an assist on the plastic surgeon's op report and the plastic surgeon is listed as an assistant on our op. I am wondering if this would be a modifier -62 situation as the abdominal wall reconstruction/component separation is needed due to the incarcerated incisional hernia. Or would they be considered separately billed and then bill the assists that they provided each other?

Thanks is advance!!
Michelle Bess, CPC

 

[ardithch]

C-surgery? Incisional hernia repair/Component separation

Since the surgeons dictated that they each assisted each other, you cannot bill as cosurgeons so the 62 modifier would not apply. Each could bill with the surgery code as surgeon that they performed and separately as assist with the 80 modifier for the assist services for the other surgeon. In order to bill for 62 modifier, the dictation would need to document what each surgeon did (a separate aspect of the procedure).

Hope this helps.

Ardith, CGSC

 

[shellabell32]

Thanks for the reply! Wondering if we would need to use a modifier-52 as our doctor opened and performed the incisional hernia repair but did not close as the plastic surgeon did the closure (I just got another one)

Thanks!