FEB 02, 2016
Payment reduction for multiple testing services
Question: Our remittance advice from Medicare shows they added modifier -51 to some of our technical-component line items. When I called Medicare for an explanation, I was told this was an “Ophthalmology service reduction for multiple line items. What does that mean? Is this appropriate?
Answer: There is a multiple-procedure payment reduction on tests that have a technical component. Medicare pays the first test is paid at 100 percent, but reduces the technical component of the second and subsequent tests 20 percent. Always check your remittance advice to make sure they reduce it correctly.