Reader Question: Primary Surgeon Should Keep Global In Mind
Initial consultation, diagnostic tests are also fair game
Question: If a neurosurgeon calls our orthopedic surgeon to the operating room to assist, does the global period apply to the orthopedic surgeon?
Ohio Subscriber
Answer: No. The global period applies only to the primary surgeon, not to the assistant surgeon.
For future reference: According to "Global Surgery: Questions and Answers" by Palmetto GBA, the Part B Medicare carrier for Ohio, you may separately submit "services of other physicians except where the surgeon and other physician(s) agree on the transfer of care."
Services a surgeon may submit separately during the...
To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement.
Keep pace with evolving Medicare regulations — and onboard your team — with timely analysis of critical updates interpreted in an easy-to-follow, easy-to-apply format. Your subscription to TCI's Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement Alert will equip you to navigate code and guideline changes, CCI edits, and revisions to modifiers, payer policies, the fee schedule, OIG target areas, and more.
Current newsletters added each month
Fully searchable archives - over 4200 articles
ALL years/issues back to 2003 organized by year and issue
Codes mentioned in articles are linked to Code Information pages
Code Information pages link back to related articles
Access to this feature is available in the following products: