Wiki Reporting Discontinued Services

[bethh05]

The January issue of Coding Edge states that modifiers 73,74 and 52 be used for dc'd services. If a physician is performing a colonoscopy(in a ASC) and he can only advance the scope so far into the colon due to stool content, so he discontinues the procedure, what modifier should be used? Some fellow coders are under the impression that 74 is only to be used in circumstances that threaten the well being of the patient, ie; Blood Pressure "bottoming out".

 

[Deadpd]

Discontinued procedure

If they used anesthesia during the colonoscopy, then you would use the 73 or 74. The 73 is a dc before procedure and 74 is dc after procedure has started. The 52 mod is for a dc'd procedure without anesthesia.

 

[cconroycpch]

You would use the modifier 74 for the procedure as the patient should certainly have had anesthesia since it sounds like the scope was already inside the patient but could not be advanced due to a poor prep by the patient.