First determine if the provider who is billing for the suture removal is
the same provider who put the sutures in? If the answer is Yes, then
he/she cannot bill for removing the sutures. Suturing (wound care codes)
include the removal of the sutures if performed by the same surgeon
because suturing codes have what is called a “global period†. Global
period means that any services performed that are related to the
initial procedure have already been paid through the initial procedure
performed and billed. However there is an exception. Let’s say an ER
physician put in the sutures and then the patient showed up in the
primary care’s of office to have them removed.
No comments:
Post a Comment