What changes have been made to the modifiers used with E/M codes?
CPT modifiers were moved from the “guidelines” section that prefaces each section of CPT codes (i.e., E/M guidelines, surgery guidelines, pathology and laboratory guidelines, etc.), and are now in a single list, which is contained under appendix A in “CPT 1999.” In addition, modifier -25, which was listed in the E/M guidelines section of CPT 1998, was revised to read as follows (new text is in italics): -25 Significant, Separately Identifiable E/M Service by the Same Physician on the Same Day of the Procedure or Other Service: The physician may need to indicate that on the day a procedure or service identified by a CPT code was performed, the patient’s condition required a significant, separately identifiable E/M service above and beyond the other service provided or beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the procedure that was performed. The E/M service may be prompted by the symptom or condition for which the procedure and/or service was provided. As suc
