02/24/2023

Correct Billing for Attending Physician at Surgical Center

I am on staff at a free standing surgicenter. Residents from different hospitals come to the surgicenter to assist surgeons. If I am an attending at the surgicenter and I assist another attending, can I bill an assistant fee and use the modifier 82?

The modifier use depends on the circumstances of the assistant surgery in a teaching environment. First, the surgical center needs to be designated as a teaching facility- if it is not, only CPT modifier -80 should be billed on assistant surgeries. If it has been confirmed that the facility is designated as a teaching facility,  a staff/attending physician is helping another staff/attending doctor, and it is a procedure not regularly performed by a resident, CPT modifier -80 should be billed. If the circumstances for assisting in the surgery is because a resident physician is not available at the time of the procedure, then CPT modifier -82 should be billed on the claim.