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Your One-Stop Free Source for Medical Billing, Coding, Claims
Reimbursement and Medical Office Management Information
Reimbursement and Medical Office Management Information
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| Still Confused on How to Use Modifier 50 for Bilateral Procedure? |
You have to understand that a Bilateral procedure means (anatomical site: Left Side and a Right
Side). For example, a right knee and a left knee, or a right shoulder and left shoulder - this is
bilateral!
You are appending the modifier -50 on your procedure code because you are reporting a two
side procedure. Common mistake is, you code a procedure as 2 units as if you are pointing to 1
unit for the left side and another 1 unit for the right side.
Check with your payors or with your software vendor, but in reality. You have to bill only 1 unit of
that procedure code having a modifier 50 (because this modifier is already reporting a bilateral,
left-right side).
Be careful with procedures that are not billable as bilateral! Be careful with procedure codes that
are neither unilateral or bilateral procedure, no bilateral modifier is needed.
Side). For example, a right knee and a left knee, or a right shoulder and left shoulder - this is
bilateral!
You are appending the modifier -50 on your procedure code because you are reporting a two
side procedure. Common mistake is, you code a procedure as 2 units as if you are pointing to 1
unit for the left side and another 1 unit for the right side.
Check with your payors or with your software vendor, but in reality. You have to bill only 1 unit of
that procedure code having a modifier 50 (because this modifier is already reporting a bilateral,
left-right side).
Be careful with procedures that are not billable as bilateral! Be careful with procedure codes that
are neither unilateral or bilateral procedure, no bilateral modifier is needed.