TEST YOUR SKILLS

When billing for multiple procedures for the same patient on the same date of service, you should always:

Answer: b

It is best to first code all the documented procedures from the operative report. This does not necessarily mean that you will be able to bill for all of them. Once you have found the appropriate CPT codes, it is important to check them for "unbundling" in the National Correct Coding Initiative. If any of the codes listed are a component of, or mutually exclusive to another procedure, then they may not be billed separately. The final check is to see if there are any of the billable procedures which are exempt from the use of the modifer ­51 for multiple procedures. If not, then modifier ­51 should be used for any procedures listed after the primary procedure. The codes should be billed in priority of highest relative valued procedure as primary and lesser valued as secondary, etc.

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