July 27, 2017

Question:
My patient presented to the ED with an infection at the incision site from a surgery that I did 4 weeks ago. It has a 90 day global. I was on vacation so my general surgeon partner saw the patient and admitted her. What should she bill for this?

Answer:
Since the patient is in a global period for the surgery, this is not billable, by you or any of your partners of the same specialty. If you take the patient to the OR to treat the infection, you will bill that procedure with a 78 modifier, for related procedure retuned to the OR during the global period.

From a billing perspective, you and your partners are a single billing entity. Therefore, you all share the global package.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 07/27/17.