Coder's Cranium / modifier 50

Know When to Append Modifier 50 on Bilateral CTS Shots

Your orthopedist injects both of a patient’s wrists to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. Should you just file 20526 with modifier 50 appended and forget about it? Not so fast: If the physician injects both the patient’s wrists to treat CTS, you will ty...

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March 8, 2011
Hot Coding Topics / surgery

Stay in the Game With the Correct Ligament Repair, Reconstruction Codes

Remember ligament repair abbreviations to simplify elbow ligament surgeries.

Baseball players are gearing up for the season, which means your orthopedist could see a sudden increase in elbow ligament injuries. If conservative therapies fail to help torn medial (841.1) or…

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March 2, 2010
Hot Coding Topics / modifier 58 / modifier 78 / modifier 79 / surgery

Second Surgery Coding: Tips for Modifier 58, 78 Success

Don’t let ‘unplanned’ lead to ‘unpaid.’ The next time a patient takes an extra trip to the operating room, don’t let the added service throw your coding off track. Keep these tips in mind to know when to assign modifier 78 – or something else. Check for Surprise Versus Planned Two modifiers pertain to follow-up trips to the [...] Related articles:

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  2. Global Billing: Document ‘Unrelated’ for Modifier 79 ServicesMACs are looking for ‘red flags’ to halt additional global period pay...
  3. Decision Chart: Modifier 78, 58, or 79?Simplify your post operative service claims with this nifty tool....

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January 19, 2010