Modifier Mondays: a KZA Podcast

In Part 1 of our Modifier 66 series, we break down the fundamentals of team surgery using content prepared by KZA Coding Expert Deb Grider. Learn when a highly complex procedure involving three or more surgeons may qualify for Modifier 66, why simply having multiple physicians involved isn’t enough, and how each surgeon’s role determines the appropriate modifier. We also compare Modifier 66 with co-surgery and assistant-at-surgery modifiers and explain why getting those distinctions right matters for both reimbursement and compliance.

We wrap up our Modifier 58 series with KZA Coding Expert Rebecca Mizelle exploring what payers are looking for when reviewing these claims, with content prepared by KZA Coding Expert Christine Banks. Learn why payers often evaluate Modifiers 58, 78, and 79 together, what makes staged procedures and serial debridements particularly important from an audit perspective, and how Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and commercial payer requirements can differ. Rebecca also shares practical strategies for auditing Modifier 58 claims, verifying global-period tracking and prior authorization, and building stronger appeals when correctly documented claims are denied.

In Part 3 of our Modifier 58 series, KZA Coding Expert Rebecca Mizelle breaks down common mistakes that can turn a seemingly straightforward modifier into a reimbursement or compliance problem, using content prepared by KZA Coding Expert Christine Banks. From incorrectly using Modifier 58 for postoperative complications to missing prospective staging documentation and failing to reset the global period, Rebecca explains where practices often go wrong. She also shares practical tips for strengthening operative-note workflows, distinguishing Modifiers 58, 78, and 79, and helping coding teams and providers get it right from the start.

In Part 2 of our Modifier 58 series, KZA Coding Expert Rebecca Mizelle takes a deeper dive into the documentation needed to support proper use of this modifier, with content prepared by KZA Coding Expert Christine Banks. Learn how documentation requirements differ depending on whether a procedure is staged or anticipated, more extensive than the original procedure, or therapy following surgery. Through real-world case studies, Rebecca illustrates why prospective documentation, clear clinical progression, and careful global-period tracking are essential to supporting Modifier 58 and keeping claims audit-ready.

In Part 1 of our Modifier 58 series, KZA Coding Expert Rebecca Mizelle walks us through the fundamentals of this staged or related procedure modifier, using content prepared by KZA Coding Expert Christine Banks. Learn the three distinct circumstances in which Modifier 58 may apply, how it differs from Modifiers 78 and 79, and what it communicates to the payer during an active global period. We also cover reimbursement, when a new global period begins, and why distinguishing a planned or expected course of care from a postoperative complication is critical for both accurate payment and compliance.