tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2006 Issue 3

Reader Questions: Don't Be So Quick to Bill Admission

Question: Our surgeon performed skin grafts for a Medicare patient with extensive burns on Sept. 19. On Oct. 14, the surgeon re-admitted the patient to the hospital for a postoperative infection. Can I bill a second admission for the post-op infection? The surgeon debrided the wounds many times while the patient was in the hospital. Should I append modifier 78 or 79 on the debridements?South Carolina Subscriber Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot separately report the admission to Medicare, and no modifier will change that. Medicare payers will bundle the subsequent admission into the global surgical package.You can, however...

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