Wiki New to ENT billing. Global Period question

[sfoster465]

Hello. I just started with an ENT practice. My previous experience was with a small office that was only office visits, so I am not familiar with most of the procedure codes and modifiers required for ENT billing. Any help or suggestions is appreciated!

I have run into a payer payment with this message: "Pre-/post-operative care payment is included in the allowance for the surgery/procedure." I assume this is for the global period, right?

The patient had procedure 30520, and a post op follow up the next day. Exactly one week after post op f/u, code 31237 with modifiers 50 + 58 was billed, and it was billed again one week after that. Both claims for 31237 received the above message.

Should we have used a different modifier, or should we expect no payments for these claims?

Thank you!

 

[dbrasier4473]

I usually use modifier 79 as a more appropriate modifier . 31237 is a debridement and that is a separate procedure

 

[sfoster465]

I usually use modifier 79 as a more appropriate modifier . 31237 is a debridement and that is a separate procedure

I was under the impression that any procedures billed within the global period are included in the initial procedure. Is that not accurate? Is 31237 not related to the initial procedure 30520?