| 52 | Modifier ‑52 (Reduced Services) indicates that a service or procedure was partially reduced or omitted at the provider’s discretion, allowing reporting of the basic procedure number with a qualifier… | - Use modifier -52 when a physician or qualified health professional electively reduces or omits part of a procedure or service (for example, performing fewer required views or omitting a portion of… |
| 53 | Modifier 53 (Discontinued Procedure) signals that a surgical or diagnostic service was begun by the physician but terminated because of extenuating circumstances that threatened the patient’s… | - Use modifier -53 when a physician/qualified healthcare professional has started a surgical or diagnostic procedure (e.g., anesthesia administered, incision or scope insertion) and then discontinues… |
| 76 | Modifier -76, Repeat Procedure or Service by Same Physician or Other Qualified Health Care Professional, is appended when the same provider performs an identical, medically necessary procedure or… | - Use modifier -76 when the same physician or other qualified health care professional performs an identical procedure or service a second (or subsequent) time on the same date of service and the… |
| 77 | Modifier 77 indicates that a previously performed procedure or service was legitimately repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional. The AMA’s CPT definition… | - Use modifier 77 when a basic procedure or service already performed is repeated by a different physician or other qualified health care professional (for example, a second provider independently… |
| 59 | Modifier 59 indicates a distinct procedural service when two procedures that are not normally billed together are clinically and procedurally separate. The CPT definition (as reiterated by CMS)… | - Use modifier -59 to report a distinct procedural service when documentation supports that the procedure reported is not normally billed together with another service on the same day because of a… |
| 73 | Modifier 73 indicates a facility-level outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after the patient was prepared and taken to the procedure/operating room but before any anesthesia… | - When to use: Apply CPT modifier 73 on the FACILITY (outpatient hospital or ASC) claim when the patient has been fully prepared and physically taken into the procedure/operating room but the… |
| 74 | Modifier ‑74 indicates an outpatient hospital or ASC procedure that was discontinued after anesthesia was administered and after the procedure had begun. Use this modifier when anesthesia (local,… | - Use modifier -74 when a procedure in an outpatient hospital or ASC setting is terminated after anesthesia has been administered and after the procedure has commenced (for example, after incision,… |
| 22 | Modifier –22 (Increased Procedural Services) is used when a reported procedure is substantially more extensive than normally required. The CPT Manual and CMS state it may be appended only when the… | - When to use: Append modifier -22 to a procedural CPT code when the service performed is substantially more extensive than the usual service described by that code — i.e., the procedure required… |
| 33 | Modifier 33 was created by the American Medical Association in response to the Affordable Care Act to identify services provided for preventive intent. It is appended to CPT/HCPCS codes that could be… | - Use modifier -33 when a CPT/HCPCS service that can be billed as either preventive or diagnostic/treatment is provided with preventive intent and aligns with USPSTF A or B recommendations or other… |
| 51 | Modifier –51 (Multiple Procedures) is used when the same provider performs multiple procedures in the same session to identify secondary, non‑exempt procedures and indicate payment reduction logic… | - Use modifier -51 when the same provider performs multiple distinct procedures during the same patient encounter: report the highest‑valued procedure first (no modifier) and append -51 to… |