Wiki Physician comes in and does the vaccuum assist vaginal delivery

[MaureenDL123]

One of my doctors was called in to help with a vaginal delivery by doing a vacuum assist. As soon as the baby was born and handed to the mother she left and the Primary physician finished up. How would I bill the vaccum assist that my doctor did??

 

[csperoni]

When you assist at a delivery, you do not bill the delivery codes that include ante/postpartum care. It seems 59409-80 MAY be appropriate, depending on the documentation.

 

[katrinak]

Per CMS, none of the vaginal delivery codes allow for an assistant surgeon, regardless of modifier.

 

[csperoni]

None of the global delivery codes allow an assist, but the non-global codes should. I show the 59409-80 as a possible correct coding for this case does allow an assist.

 

[MaureenDL123]

Thank you so much for this information!

 

[Cmama12]

Assist is allowed for 59409 IF supported by medical necessity. I have never seen nor billed an assist on a vacuum delivery.

 

[vronica]

Thank you so much for this information!

Hi, do you happen to remember how you ended up billing for this?