CPT modifier used for assistant surgeon. Surgical assistant services may be identified by adding the modifier -80 to the usual procedure number(s). This modifier may affect reimbursement. Some insurance policies do not include payment for assistant surgeons such as for 1-day surgery but do pay for major or complex surgical assistance. In some instances, prior approval may be indicated due to the patient’s physiologic condition. Medicare will not pay assistant surgeons for operations that are not life threatening. Therefore Medigap insurance will not pay on this service because the service is nonallowable. Assisting surgeons usually charge 16% to 30% of the primary surgeon’s fee.

Period beginning on a specific date (e.g., June 15) of any calendar month and ending on a day (July 14) of the next succeeding calendar month.

Abbreviation that means property/casualty, such as independent property/casualty (P/C) brokers.

Number of patients served by a physician or physician group. If the panel size is greater than 25,000 patients, then the physician group is not considered to be at substantial financial risk because the risk is spread over the large number of patients. Stop loss and beneficiary surveys would not be required.

Simple smear method for precancerous cellular changes and early detection of cancer of the cervix, the opening to a woman’s womb. It is done by removing cells from the cervix. The cells are then prepared so that they can be seen with the use of a microscope. Also called Papanicolaou (Pap) smear, Pap test, or screening Pap (Papanicolaou) smear.

An insurance claim submitted on paper including those optically scanned and converted to an electronic form by the insurance carrier.

Acronym that translates as patient assistance programs. See Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA).