Question

A patient has cataract surgery, which has a 90-day global period. The patient's date of surgery was 1/1 and their date of transfer was 1/2. If you are billing CMS for post-operative care only, what dates must you put in which box?

1) 1/1–4/1 in box 19
2) 1/2-4/2 in box 19
3) 1/1-4/2 in box 17
4) 1/2-4/2 in box 17

Answer 1

For billing CMS for post-operative care only after a cataract surgery with a 90-day global period, the correct date range to use is 1/2-4/2 which should be entered in box 19 of the CMS-1500 claim form. Option 2 is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you are billing CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) for post-operative care only after a cataract surgery, which includes a 90-day global period, it is important to use the correct date range that corresponds to the period of post-operative care being billed.

Since the patient had surgery on 1/1 and the date of transfer was on 1/2, you should include the dates that cover the post-operative period starting from the day after the surgery until the end of the global period.

Therefore, the correct option is: 1/2-4/2 in box 19. This range includes the day after the surgery up to the end of the 90-day global period. Box 19 on the CMS-1500 claim form is usually used for reporting additional information such as a narrative description or explanation that can't be included elsewhere on the form.

However, billing practices can vary, and you should ensure you are following the specific instructions provided by the payer.