Globals and Clogged Drains
During the 90-day global period, if we need to irrigate or replace a clogged drainage or feeding tube during an office visit, is this a billable procedure?
Question: During the 90-day global period, if we need to irrigate or replace a clogged drainage or feeding tube during an office visit, is this a billable procedure?
Answer: The correct answer is “maybe.” The surgical package, according to CPT, includes “typical” follow-up care. It does not include “postoperative complications, exacerbations, and recurrences.”
So is a blocked tube routine? Every payer will have a different answer.
You definitely need to look at Medicare’s NCCI edits with the specific codes you’d like to use in hand. From there, it’s payer-specific.
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