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Additional Guidance on Use of PO Modifier

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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Did you ever play the game as a child where you were blindfolded, turned around until you were disoriented, and then relied on a sibling or a friend to guide you? This required some trust even though it was just a game. And the more guidance the better – handholding was better than simply being told where to go. We are not quite as trusting as adults, but often our only choice is to rely on the guidance of others. Hospitals have to rely on Medicare guidance for direction in providing and billing for Medicare services. And like that childhood game, more guidance and clearer guidance is always better. So, thanks to CMS for the additional guidance on the use of the PO modifier.

Last week’s edition of the Wednesday@One included an article about recent developments related to Provider-Based Departments (PBDs), one of which was the requirement to report a PO modifier on outpatient services provided in an off-campus provider based department. In the January 26, 2016, Hospital Open Door Forum (ODF), CMS discussed this requirement and referred providers to a recent Modifier PO FAQ document that provides additional guidance on the use of this modifier.

Before getting into the details of the Frequently Asked Questions, here is an excerpt from last week’s article.

This requirement was finalized in the 2015 OPPS Final Rule which allowed voluntary reporting of the PO modifier for 2015 but mandates use of the modifier beginning in 2016. The use of the PO modifier will allow CMS to track the volumes and types of services being provided in off-campus provider based departments. Things to know about reporting the PO modifier include:

  • Off-campus means provider based departments located 250 yards or greater from the main provider building.
  • Per discussion at a CMS Hospital Open Door Forum, the modifier is only required to be reported for items and services paid under OPPS. Services paid under another fee schedule, such as rehabilitative therapy services, do not require the PO modifier.
  • The modifier should not be reported for remote locations of a hospital, satellite facilities of a hospital, or for services furnished in an emergency department.
  • Remote location is another main provider furnishing inpatient services under the name, ownership, and administrative and financial control of the main hospital.
  • A satellite facility is a part of a hospital that provides inpatient services in a building also used by another hospital, or in a building(s) located on the same campus as buildings used by another hospital.

A lot of the ODF discussion and the FAQs address when the PO modifier is required and when it is not. The CMS representative speaking on the ODF suggested hospitals ask themselves three questions in deciding whether to use the PO modifier:

  1. Are the services provided at a provider-based department?
  2. Is the provider-based department located off-campus?
  3. Are the services “paid” under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)?

If the answer to all three of these questions is yes, then you must use the PO modifier.

The FAQs address a number of scenarios where the PO modifier is not required. For example, the PO modifier is not required for:

  • Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) because CAHs are not paid through the OPPS
  • Off-campus rehabilitative therapy services because therapy services have an OPPS status indicator of “A” which means they are paid under another fee schedule (the Physician’s Fee Schedule) and not under OPPS
  • Facilities that do not meet the definition of provider-based
  • Off-campus dialysis facilities because these are billed and paid under the ESRD PPS and not under OPPS
  • Services provided at a remote hospital location of the main hospital or on the campus of a remote location
  • Services provided in either Type A or Type B Emergency Departments
  • Laboratory services that are paid under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule – This one is tricky because labs provided on the same day of service with other outpatient services are packaged and therefore are “paid” under OPPS – these would require the PO modifier. If only laboratory services are performed - for example, if a hospital has an off-campus PBD laboratory where patients go for only laboratory services (and no other related outpatient services are provided the same day), then these services are paid under the CLFS and would not require a PO modifier.
  • Services provided through Medicare Advantage plans

The FAQs also clarify that it is acceptable to have a claim where some HCPCS codes have the PO modifier and some don’t. Separately payable outpatient drugs reported with HCPCS codes (status indicator “K”) do require the PO modifier when provided in an off-campus PBD.

We have no choice but to trust and rely on the guidance from CMS, but it is always good to have more guidance than lesser guidance in trying to interpret and implement Medicare rules.

Article Author: Debbie Rubio, BS MT (ASCP)
Debbie Rubio, BS MT (ASCP), was the Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance at Medical Management Plus, Inc. Debbie has over twenty-seven years of experience in healthcare including nine years as the Clinical Compliance Coordinator at a large multi-facility health system. In her current position, Debbie monitors, interprets and communicates current and upcoming regulatory and compliance issues as they relate to specific entities concerning Medicare and other payers.

This material was compiled to share information.  MMP, Inc. is not offering legal advice. Every reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the information is accurate and useful.