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[TanBro]

If a patient is scheduled for a hysterectomy, procedure was completed in its entirety, but a general/other surgeon was called in to take over due to incidental or known finding (appendectomy, etc) and the general surgeon closed the case after they completed their portion do we need to use any type of modifier for the billing of the hysterectomy? No services were reduced/discontinued/cancelled, the incision was simply closed by someone else.

 

[csperoni]

If your physician opened, performed the entire surgery, and the only thing not done was closing, I do not feel that warrants a -52 or -53 for reduced service.
It is not co-surgery since 2 physicians of different specialties each performed their own procedure on different body parts (just through the same opening).
I would not attach a modifier to the hysterectomy in this case.