CMS will continue to recognize modifier 59 “as a default,” however, the agency encourages physicians and coders that modifier -59 should not be used when a more descriptive modifier is available.
According to the blog post, anesthesia practices should defer changes to their systems until they receive further instructions from their Medicare Administrative Contractors and non-Medicare carriers. Anesthesia practices should also check the National Correct Coding Initiative in January, when CMS typically releases corresponding CCI guidance specific to each range of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System codes.
More articles on anesthesia:
Rapid anesthesia M&A activity in 2014: A recap
Somnia Anesthesia to provide services at Memorial Medical Center of Las Cruces
5 key ways to strengthen the surgeon-anesthesiologist relationship
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