Wiki help with modifier 80

[hpgh]

when a surgeon has an assistant during a surgery, is it enough to just have
ASSISTANT SURGEON: Dr. Jane Doe

or does the surgeon have to indicate in the body of the operative note what the assistant did during the surgery?

please help

thanks

 

[melsmedmgmt@hotmail.com]

as long as the name of the physician is listed in the body or opening of the operative notes that is all that is needed. you do not necessarily need to mention what duties the surgical assistant performed. however if that assistant surgeon worked together with the primary surgeon performing distinct procedure(s) then you would use the modifier -62 and both names would be listed as primary surgeons in the operative notes

 

[mitchellde]

as long as the name of the physician is listed in the body or opening of the operative notes that is all that is needed. you do not necessarily need to mention what duties the surgical assistant performed. however if that assistant surgeon worked together with the primary surgeon performing distinct procedure(s) then you would use the modifier -62 and both names would be listed as primary surgeons in the operative notes

Just to expand... to use the 62 modifier, each physician must have his/her own op note which details his/her own distinctive part of the same procedure. Then each physician bills the same procedure code with the 62 modifier.