MYTHBUSTER: Clarification--Avoid Making Alphabet Soup Out of Modifiers GV and GW

Why This Topic Matters

Hospice claims can be denied or misprocessed when billing identifiers are misunderstood. The article addresses a common area of Medicare hospice billing confusion and places it in the broader context of hospice growth and payment considerations.

Article Sections

1. Hospice participation and billing context

   Introduces hospice participation trends and the broader Medicare billing context for hospice-related services.

2. Common confusion around hospice modifiers

   Discusses frequent misunderstandings about hospice-related modifiers and how they relate to physician billing situations.

3. How hospice-related claims may be handled

   Reviews general scenarios involving attending physicians, covering physicians, and services connected to hospice care.

4. Modifiers Q5 and Q6

   Addresses additional modifier confusion and the circumstances described for locum tenens coverage.

5. Hospice spending and utilization study

   Summarizes a study discussing hospice use, Medicare spending, and broader trends in hospice participation.