tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2001 Issue 2

HCFA Says No to Modifier -60

HCFA has decided not to recognize modifier -60 (altered surgical field). The new modifier, introduced in CPT 2001, was supposed to be appended in place of modifier -22 (unusual procedural services) if a procedure involved significantly increased operative complexity and/or time due to the effects of prior surgery, marked scarring, adhesions, inflammation or distorted anatomy. Surgeons had hoped modifier -60 would be recognized because it explains more precisely than modifier -22 why a procedure was more complicated and/or took more time. The new modifier also held out the possibility of additional payment without excessive documentation for situations such as...

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