tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2003 Issue 6

READER QUESTION: Medicare Specifies -AS for PAs in Surgery

Question: In the past, Ive always reported modifier -80 for a certified PA in the operating room. But recently Ive been instructed that modifier -81 is correct. Delaware SubscriberAnswer: The correct modifier depends on your payer. Modifier -80 (Assistant surgeon) describes a second physician in the operating room who acts as an extra pair of hands to assist the primary surgeon. A common example is when an orthopedic surgeon and a general surgeon work together during placement of spinal instrumentation (for example, 22842, Posterior segmental instrumentation [e.g., pedicle fixation, dual rods with multiple hooks and sublaminar wires]; 3...

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