Billing an Appendectomy with Another Surgery

Question:

Is an appendectomy separately reported when done with another abdominal procedure?

Answer:

If the appendectomy is performed for a medically indicated purpose, for example the appendix was involved in the disease process, it can be reported with an add-on code, +44955. See the description of this code below. No modifier would be appended to this code and you should expect 100% reimbursement since add-on codes are valued lower since they are always reported with another procedure.

44955: Appendectomy; when done for indicated purpose at time of other major procedure (not as separate procedure) (List separately in addition to code for primary procedure

*This response is based on the best information available as of 01/04/18.