Ophthalmic Coding Specialist Practice Test

What minor surgical period do private payers typically recognize?

1. 10 days only

2. 0 days only

3. 0 or 10 days

4. 15 days

The correct answer is: 0 or 10 days

In ophthalmology and many other medical specialties, the concept of a surgical global period is important for coding and billing purposes. The minor surgical period is usually associated with procedures that are less invasive and typically involve a shorter recovery time. Private payers often recognize either a 0-day global period or a 10-day global period for minor surgical procedures. A 0-day global period means that there is no postoperative care included in the billing, and the patient is effectively considered to be in a follow-up phase immediately after the procedure without any included postoperative service. In contrast, a 10-day global period includes the day of the surgery as well as the following nine days during which related follow-up care can be provided and billed under the same procedure code. Thus, having the option to bill for either a 0-day or a 10-day global period gives providers flexibility in how they account for and charge for postoperative care, recognizing the variety in types of surgical procedures performed and their respective recovery expectations. This is why the recognition of 0 or 10 days is accurate for what private payers typically recognize regarding minor surgical periods.