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Published Date:05/03/2019
Printed Date: 9/22/2015
URL: http://palmgba.com/marlowe/redesign6/article.html
Do not submit this modifier with assistant surgery services because global surgery rules do not apply to assistants. Services submitted with CPT modifier 80-82 in addition to CPT modifier 79 will be "returned as unprocessable" (rejected with remark code MA130). Resubmit these claims with the appropriate assistant-at-surgery CPT modifier (80 through 82) only.
Examples for Correct Submission of CPT Modifier 79:
Seldom, but in some cases, the second surgery performed is inadvertently submitted to Medicare and paid before the first surgery is submitted to Medicare. In this situation, the CPT modifier 79 must be submitted with the first surgery performed.
Reference:
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Last Updated: 05/03/2019