Wiki E/M during post op period

[Diane Eslinger]

Patient comes in for 6 week right hip arthroplasty follow up. During the visit provider realizes that the patient is due for there 1 year surveillance follow up within the next month for there left hip arthroplasty. Providers performs bilateral hip x-ray and in addition to the right hip exam the provider also performs an exam on the left hip. Can the provider bill out global visit for the right hip and than an E/M level for the left hip with a modifier 24?

 

[kdlberg]

Patient comes in for 6 week right hip arthroplasty follow up. During the visit provider realizes that the patient is due for there 1 year surveillance follow up within the next month for there left hip arthroplasty. Providers performs bilateral hip x-ray and in addition to the right hip exam the provider also performs an exam on the left hip. Can the provider bill out global visit for the right hip and than an E/M level for the left hip with a modifier 24?

If I were auditing this one, I would be looking for the documentation that the decision for the L hip x-ray was made during the visit. Otherwise, you can only bill for the x-ray.