June 25, 2020

Question:
I have 2 vascular surgeons from the same practice that want to bill co-surgery for a complex open abdominal aneurysm repair. They both performed the same code but say that it should be co-surgery because it was complex and needed both surgeons. Can we bill with modifier -62?

Answer:

The surgery described is not the definition of a co-surgery and should be billed as a primary and assistant surgeon. If each provider had performed distinct portions of the case, and each documented their portion in separate op reports, then you may have billed as a co-surgery. However, some insurance companies require that surgeons be of different specialties when bill for co-surgery.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 06/25/20.