Please note this question was answered in 2020. The coding advice may or may not be outdated.
Two docs, same group for cath and intervention
Date: Jan 3, 2020
Question:
Quite often, one of our cardiologists will do the diagnostic cath, and then the interventional cardiologist will step in right after to do the angioplasty/stent. For years, I have been applying the -59 modifier to the diagnostic cath, and I am now being told that this is incorrect since two separate docs are involved. Since they are from the same group, isn't this recognized as one and the same doctor and a -59 modifier will be needed on the diagnostic cath?
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