Surgical Modifiers: How Do They Impact Reimbursement?

Question:

What reimbursement should we expect when using the global period modifiers 58, 79 and 78?

Answer:

Surgical modifiers are used to indicate that a subsequent procedure was performed during the global period of a prior surgery. Modifiers tell the payer the rationale for allowing payment for this subsequent procedure. The modifiers and reimbursement impact of each is shown below:

Modifier 58: to indicate a second procedure was performed as a staged procedure. Reimbursement should be 100% of the allowable fee.

Modifier 79: To indicate an unrelated procedure was performed during the global period of the original procedure. Reimbursement should be 100% of the allowable fee.

Modifiers 78: To indicate that a complication of an original procedure was treated by a return to the operating room, catheterization or endoscopy suite. Reimbursement should be at 70-80% of the allowable fee. This reduction reimburses for the intra-operative portion of the procedure only, since the patients pre and post-operative services are paid under the original surgery’s flat fee.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 08/18/16.