AMA CPT® Assistant - 1992 Issue 1 (January)

Use of the Bilateral Modifier (Spring 1992)

Spring 1992 page 19 Coding Tip Use of the Bilateral Modifier In 1991, many of the bilateral codes were deleted from CPT. This was done to standardize how bilateral procedures were reported. The intent of the CPT Editorial Panel is for all modifiers to be appended to the appropriate code as a one-line entry. Hence, the reader was directed to report the unilateral code with the -50 modifier appended to that code as a one-line entry on the claim form to indicate the procedure was performed bilaterally. For example:    49500-50 Alternatively, the unilateral code can be placed on the first...

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CPT® Assistant content is the official source for CPT® coding guidance. It is an instrumental tool when appealing insurance denials and validating coding to auditors. Monthly issues and an extensive archive provide comprehensive guidance on proper CPT® coding for past, present and upcoming code set releases. Archives date back to 1990 for historical use of codes, changes, rationales, coding tips and trends in the industry.

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