LCD Reference Article Billing and Coding Article

Billing and Coding: Repeat or Duplicate Services on the Same Day

A53482

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Draft Article
Draft Articles are works in progress and not necessarily a reflection of the current billing and coding practices. Revisions to codes are carefully and thoroughly reviewed and are not intended to change the original intent of the LCD.
NOT AN LCD REFERENCE ARTICLE
This article is not in direct support of an LCD.

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Contractor Information

Article Information

General Information

Source Article ID
N/A
Article ID
A53482
Original ICD-9 Article ID
Not Applicable
Article Title
Billing and Coding: Repeat or Duplicate Services on the Same Day
Article Type
Billing and Coding
Original Effective Date
10/01/2015
Revision Effective Date
10/31/2019
Revision Ending Date
N/A
Retirement Date
N/A

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CMS National Coverage Policy

Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Pub. 100-04, Chapter 34

Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, §1833(e)

Article Guidance

Article Text

Claims for multiple and/or identical services provided to an individual patient on the same day, may be denied as duplicate claims if Palmetto Government Benefit Administrators (GBA) cannot determine that these services have, in fact, been performed more than one time. Filing claims properly the first time will reduce denials.

Many providers and billing departments re-file claims without allowing sufficient time for the original claim to process. Refilling a claim before the original claim has processed can cause further delays in processing and payment. One submission of a claim is all that is required. If you have not received payment after 30 days and are concerned about your payment, please use the Palmetto GBA interactive voice response (IVR) or the online provider services (OPS) for an electronic claims status inquiry function.

A denial should be expected if identical duplicate services are submitted for the same date of service. Should a correction of a previously submitted claim be needed, do not submit the correction as a new claim. Palmetto GBA can reopen claims for minor corrections. Claims denied as “not medically necessary” cannot be reopened at the claims processing level after a denial for that reason has been issued. An appeal (redetermination) may be requested for services denied as “not medically necessary” or for other issues beyond minor corrections. Additional documentation in support of the service(s) provided should be submitted with the appeal request. Please refer to the Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Pub. 100-04, Chapter 34 for detailed instructions regarding a reopening vs. an appeal.

To ensure correct processing of your claim, please consider the following:

• Submit services on one claim using the Days/Units fields and appropriate modifier.
• Please be sure the correct modifiers are submitted on the claim when multiple identical services are submitted in order to identify these services as separate services and not duplicate billing of the same service. A denial can be expected if the same service is submitted on more than one claim or more than one claim line for the same date of service.

Example:
The patient receives two chest x-rays on 10/1/15 which are interpreted by the same physician. The first interpretation is performed at 10 a.m. and the interpretation of the second x-ray is performed at 1:30 p.m.

Submit as:

CPT Code/Modifier Days/Units
10/1/15 71020-26 1
10/1/15 71020-26-76 1

Modifiers
Failure to submit appropriate modifiers may result in delay of payment or denial of service(s). When a modifier is used to indicate a repeat service, as in the above example, the first service should be submitted without the -76 modifier and the repeat service(s) should include the -76 modifier(s).

Site Modifiers:
•Use site modifiers (e. g. RT, LT, T1) as appropriate.

Example:
The patient receives a percutaneous tenotomy on the second digit and the fourth digit of the left foot by the same physician on the same day.

Submit as:
Date of Service CPT Code/Modifier Days/Units
10/1/15 28010-T1 1
10/1/15 28010-T3 1

Identical services being repeated should be submitted using CPT modifier 76, 77, or 91.

•CPT Modifier 76: 'Repeat procedure by same physician: The physician may need to indicate that a service was repeated the same day subsequent to the original service. This modifier indicates the difference between duplicate services and repeated services.


•CPT Modifier 77 'Repeat procedure by another physician': A physician may need to indicate that he or she repeated a service performed by another physician on the same day.

Example:
Patient receives two EKGs on 10/1/15. The first EKG is taken at 10 a.m. and Dr. A performs the interpretation. The second EKG is taken at 1:30 p.m. and Dr. B performs the interpretation.

Submit as:

Claim #1 Dr. A

Date of Service CPT Code Days/Units
10/1/15 93010-26 1


Claim #2 Dr. B

Date of Service CPT Code Days/Units
10/1/15 93010-26-77 1


•CPT Modifier 91 'Repeat clinical diagnostic laboratory test': It may be necessary to repeat the same laboratory test on the same day to obtain multiple test results. In this case CPT modifier 91 should be used. This modifier may not be used when tests are repeated to confirm initial results due to testing problems with equipment or specimens. Tests that include multiple specimens being collected at different times (e.g., glucose tolerance) should be submitted using the appropriate code for the test and should not be submitted as repeated tests.

Example:

The patient had two folic acid tests performed on the same day.

Submit as:

Date of Service CPT Code/Modifier Days/Units
10/1/15 82746 1
10/1/15 82746-91 1

Response To Comments

Number Comment Response
1
N/A

Coding Information

Bill Type Codes

Code Description

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Revenue Codes

Code Description

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CPT/HCPCS Codes

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CPT/HCPCS Modifiers

Group 1

(8 Codes)
Group 1 Paragraph

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Group 1 Codes
Code Description
26 PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT: CERTAIN PROCEDURES ARE A COMBINATION OF A PHYSICIAN COMPONENT AND A TECHNICAL COMPONENT. WHEN THE PHYSICIAN COMPONENT IS REPORTED SEPARATELY, THE SERVICE MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY ADDING THE MODIFIER -26 TO THE USUAL PROCEDURE NUMBER OR THE SERVICE MAY BE REPORTED BY USE OF THE FIVE DIGIT MODIFIER CODE 09926.
76 REPEAT PROCEDURE BY SAME PHYSICIAN: THE PHYSICIAN MAY NEED TO INDICATE THAT A PROCEDURE OR SERVICE WAS REPEATED SUBSEQUENT TO THE ORIGINAL PROCEDURE OR SERVICE. THIS CIRCUMSTANCE MAY BE REPORTED BY ADDING THE MODIFIER -76 TO THE REPEATED PROCEDURE OR SERVICE OR THE SEPARATE FIVE DIGIT MODIFIER CODE 09976 MAY BE USED.
77 REPEAT PROCEDURE BY ANOTHER PHYSICIAN: THE PHYSICIAN MAY NEED TO INDICATE THAT A BASIC PROCEDURE OR SERVICE PERFORMED BY ANOTHER PHYSICIAN HAD TO BE REPEATED. THIS SITUATION MAY BE REPORTED BY ADDING MODIFIER -77 TO THE REPEATED PROCEDURE/SERVICE OR THE SEPARATE FIVE DIGIT MODIFIER CODE 09977 MAY BE USED.
91 REPEAT CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY TEST: IN THE COURSE OF TREATMENT OF THE PATIENT, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REPEAT THE SAME LABORATORY TEST ON THE SAME DAY TO OBTAIN SUBSEQUENT (MULTIPLE) TEST RESULTS. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE LABORATORY TEST PERFORMED CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY ITS USUAL PROCEDURE NUMBER AND THE ADDITION OF THE MODIFIER '-91'. NOTE: THIS MODIFIER MAY NOT BE USED WHEN TESTS ARE RERUN TO CONFIRM INITIAL RESULTS; DUE TO TESTING PROBLEMS WITH SPECIMENS OR EQUIPMENT; OR FOR ANY OTHER REASON WHEN A NORMAL, ONE-TIME, REPORTABLE RESULT IS ALL THAT IS REQUIRED. THIS MODIFIER MAY NOT BE USED WHEN OTHER CODE(S) DESCRIBE A SERIES OF TEST RESULTS (E.G., GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TESTS, EVOCATIVE/SUPPRESSION TESTING). THIS MODIFIER MAY ONLY BE USED FOR LABORATORY TEST(S) PERFORMED MORE THAN ONCE ON THE SAME DAY ON THE SAME PATIENT.
LT LEFT SIDE (USED TO IDENTIFY PROCEDURES PERFORMED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY)
RT RIGHT SIDE (USED TO IDENTIFY PROCEDURES PERFORMED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY)
T1 LEFT FOOT, SECOND DIGIT
T3 LEFT FOOT, FOURTH DIGIT
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ICD-10-CM Codes that Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

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Group 1 Codes

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ICD-10-CM Codes that DO NOT Support Medical Necessity

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

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Group 1 Codes

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ICD-10-PCS Codes

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

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Group 1 Codes

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Additional ICD-10 Information

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Bill Type Codes

Contractors may specify Bill Types to help providers identify those Bill Types typically used to report this service. Absence of a Bill Type does not guarantee that the article does not apply to that Bill Type. Complete absence of all Bill Types indicates that coverage is not influenced by Bill Type and the article should be assumed to apply equally to all claims.

Code Description

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N/A

Revenue Codes

Contractors may specify Revenue Codes to help providers identify those Revenue Codes typically used to report this service. In most instances Revenue Codes are purely advisory. Unless specified in the article, services reported under other Revenue Codes are equally subject to this coverage determination. Complete absence of all Revenue Codes indicates that coverage is not influenced by Revenue Code and the article should be assumed to apply equally to all Revenue Codes.

Code Description

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N/A

Other Coding Information

Group 1

Group 1 Paragraph

N/A

Group 1 Codes

N/A

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Coding Table Information

Excluded CPT/HCPCS Codes - Table Format
Code Descriptor Generic Name Descriptor Brand Name Exclusion Effective Date Exclusion End Date Reason for Exclusion
N/A N/A
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Non-Excluded CPT/HCPCS Ended Codes - Table Format
Code Descriptor Generic Name Descriptor Brand Name Exclusion Effective Date Exclusion End Date Reason for Exclusion
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Revision History Information

Revision History Date Revision History Number Revision History Explanation
10/31/2019 R7

This article is being revised in order to adhere to CMS requirements per chapter 13, section 13.5.1 of the Program Integrity Manual. Under CMS National Coverage Policy section added regulations. Under CPT/HCPCS Modifiers Group 1: Codes added modifiers 26, 76, 77, 91, T1, T3, LT, RT. Formatting, punctuation and typographical errors were corrected throughout the article.

05/24/2018 R6

Under Article Text first sentence added the verbiage “Government Benefit Administrators” in front of the acronym “GBA”.

02/26/2018 R5 The Jurisdiction "J" Part B Contracts for Alabama (10112), Georgia (10212) and Tennessee (10312) are now being serviced by Palmetto GBA. Effective 02/26/18, these three contract numbers are being added to this article. No coverage, coding or other substantive changes (beyond the addition of the 3 Part B contract numbers) have been completed in this revision.
05/26/2016 R4 Revision History defined in Revision History #2 is incorrect. The correct version for Revision History #2 should read “Under Article Guidance, added “and/or” and “in fact” to the first paragraph. Added clarification related to the refiling of claims. IVR and OPS were defined. Under Article Text instructions were provided in the first paragraph related to corrections of previously submitted claims and medical necessity denials. Subsequent paragraphs and sections detail the billing of services that may appear to be duplicate services, the use of modifiers, and units submitted on claims.” The effective date is unchanged 5/26/16.
05/26/2016 R3 Under Revision Effective Date corrected the date to read 05/26/2016. The effective date for Revision 2 should correctly read 05/26/2016.
05/19/2016 R2 Under Article Text the information contained in the second paragraph was transferred into the first paragraph. Billing information and an example of completing the CMS 1500 in paragraph four was merged into the third paragraph and “HFCA” 1500 was updated to "CMS" 1500. Information that Evaluation and Management codes are separately reimbursed was corrected to read that these services are not separately payable unless the practitioner provides a significant, separately identifiable service. The pharmacy compounding fee was removed from the fourth paragraph. The “Medication Price” list was deleted. Under Statutory Requirements URL(s) the URLs were removed. Under Rules and Regulations URL(s) the URL was removed. Under CMS Manual Explanations URL(s) the URL was removed.
10/01/2015 R1 Reviewed for Annual Validation.
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Associated Documents

Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2 SAD Determinations
Medicare BPM Ch 15.50.2
Related Local Coverage Documents
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Related National Coverage Documents
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SAD Process URL 1
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SAD Process URL 2
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Statutory Requirements URLs
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Rules and Regulations URLs
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CMS Manual Explanations URLs
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Other URLs
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Public Versions
Updated On Effective Dates Status
10/23/2019 10/31/2019 - N/A Currently in Effect You are here
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Keywords

  • Duplicate
  • Services
  • Radiology
  • Same Day