Coding Outside the Box Whats in a Global Package

Why This Topic Matters

Correctly recognizing what is included in or excluded from a global surgical package can affect whether emergency department services are billed appropriately and whether potentially payable services are overlooked.

Article Sections

1. Global surgical package basics

   Introduces the concept of global surgical packages and summarizes the general types of services discussed in CPT guidance and Medicare reference material.

2. Separately reportable services during the postoperative period

   Explains the broader categories of services that may fall outside the global package in emergency department settings, including postoperative-period and diagnostic considerations.

3. Modifier use with ED visits

   Discusses how ED visit reporting may interact with postoperative or same-day services and the modifiers referenced in that context.

4. Examples involving postoperative or unrelated ED encounters

   Presents scenarios used to illustrate how different emergency department encounters relate to surgical periods and separate reporting considerations.

5. Reporting starred procedures

   Covers CPT starred procedures and how they are treated differently from procedures normally subject to global package bundling.

6. Special E/M code doesn't apply

   Addresses a CPT visit code concept that is described as not applicable in the emergency department setting.