Wiki E/M for Chemo Planning During Global

[pjleland]

Our gyn/onc's would like to have us charge a separate E/M during the global period after surgery for malignancy to account for the fact that they are spending a great deal of time with the patient on chemo planning/coordination/review/education with the patient. Can we charge for this during the global, and if so what diagnoses are you using to account for the encounter being different from the malignancy code used for the other postop visits?

Thanks,
Phyllis

 

[tmerickson]

You would bill the normal E/M with the dx the provider gives and then use modifier -58.

 

[mitchellde]

you cannot use the 58 modifier for an EM code. There really is no way to charge for this, this type of counseling is usually performed prior to the surgery.

 

[tmerickson]

Where does it say you can't use modifer 58 on E/M?

 

[karey]

I was having the same problem. My docs bill an E/M w/ a mod 24 w/ a statement stating that "service was above and beyond the procedure performed and the post operative treatment due to.......".

I am unfamiliar w/ mod 58 but it clearly states "c) or for therapy following a surgical procedure" so I would think that this modifier would be ok to use on an E/M code.