1. User id : 40408 Posted 10 months ago #
   

   Patient was admitted inpatient for pacemaker implant – this service has a 90 day global. Are subsequent hospital visits after implant are billable by the cardiologist? Eg. manage hypertension.

2. SuperCoder Posted 10 months ago #
   

   Something separate like HTN should be separately billable with mod 24. Medicare specifies certain visits that are not included in the global package, meaning you may report them separately:

   • Visits unrelated to the diagnosis that prompted the surgical procedure (unless the visits occur due to complications)

   • Treatment for the underlying condition or an added course of treatment which is not part of normal surgery recovery

   • Diagnostic tests and procedures

   • Clearly distinct surgical procedures which are not re-operations or treatment for complications

   • Treatment for complications which requires a return trip to the operating room.

   When an E/M service occurs during a postoperative global period for reasons unrelated to the original procedure, you should append modifier 24 (Unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician during a postoperative period) to the appropriate E/M code.

   Source: You can find the definition of the global surgical package in Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 12, Section 40.1.A (www.cms.hhs.gov/Manuals/IOM/list.asp).

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