Post Op Complication

[okandy]

Patient had bunion repair with screw placement. Within global, the screw displaced and fractured the bone. The physician who performed the original procedure is on vacation and another physician in the practice sees the patient and does an open reduction with internal fixation.

Is a modifier necessary for the second surgical procedure and if so, what is it?

 

[marty3073]

complication

Yes, i would say that a modifier is needed it's either 78 or 79.

 

[okandy]

But both of these modifiers indicate the same physician. This is a different physician (Same Tax ID and Taxonomy but different NPI).

 

[FTessaBartels]

Physician of same specialty and same practice

Physicians in the same practice of the same specialty are considered "the same physician."

Hope that helps.

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CEMC

 

[okandy]

Thank you both. This just seemed too simple and I thought I was missing something.