Re: Assist/Cosurgeons

We have two general surgeons in the same office. One took out the gallbladder and the other assisted. During the course of the procedure the primary surgeon decided to turn over the laparoscopic resection of the liver to the other doctor who is in the same office. They both dictated separate operative reports listing each other as the assist to each other. It seems to me as if they are unbundling the surgery, and that the 47563 and the 47100 should not be unbundled between the surgeons. They are also not really co-surgeons since they really each did their own part, and they are in the same specialty. I feel that really the entire procedure should have been done by one surgeon, but it was divided up between two general surgeons. I certainly don't want the patient to have two bills with each code separated into two bills. Any suggestions? I believe it will be difficult to justify co-surgeons on these codes.

Thanks,

Dee

Re: Assist/Cosurgeons