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Outpatient Surgery E-Weekly

Contact Congress Over Drug Shortage Issues

A Kentucky congressman is urging surgical facilities to contact their members of Congress and request that they sign his letter demanding changes to...

N.J. Posts ASC Inspection Reports Online

State and federal inspection reports of New Jersey's ASCs are now available online, giving patients an opportunity to make more informed choices abo...

Are Opioids Necessary?

While it's not always practical, or even possible, to eliminate opioids from your post-op pain management regiment, reducing their use in favor of n...

Archive > November, 2006 Vol. VII, No. 11

Coding & Billing

Are You Misusing the -59 Modifier?

Cristina Bentin, CCS-P, CPC-H, CMA

One of the most common things I see during facility audits is the misuse and overuse of modifier -59, distinct procedural service, which inadvertently snowballs into the unbundling and upcoding of surgical procedures. Not only does the application of modifier -59 to each CPT code listed in an operative session warrant closer scrutiny from my team, but it also waves an ominous red flag for Medicare and the Office of Inspector General (OIG).

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Categories: Code/Bill/Reimburse, Ophthalmology
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