If an unrelated service is not encompassed by the global surgical package, how should it be billed?

• A. The unrelated service is always included in the global package.
• B. The unrelated service may be billed separately if it is not encompassed by the global package.
• C. The unrelated service cannot be billed.
• D. The unrelated service should be billed as an international service.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the global surgical package covers the operation itself plus related pre- and post-operative care within a set timeframe. If a service is unrelated to that operation and isn’t included in the global package, it should be billed separately. This means you assign its own CPT code and follow the payer’s rules for payment, rather than trying to fold it into the global package. It’s not automatically included, it isn’t inherently unbillable, and it isn’t appropriate to label it as an international service. So, billing the unrelated service separately is the correct approach, with any necessary modifiers to show it’s a distinct service from the surgery.