Two Procedures on the Same Day

Question:

If a patient develops complications from a procedure later the same day as the original procedure and needs to return to the OR would we append modifier 78 or 79?

Answer:

Neither; the global period begins the first day after the procedure, so when returning to the OR on the same day as the original procedure you would append modifier 59 (or XE if X modifiers are used) to the second procedure to demonstrate that it is a separate encounter.

*This response is based on the best information available as of 7/17/25.