Modifier 79: Unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period
When it is appropriate
Append modifier 79 to a procedure or service that is unrelated to the original surgery but is performed by the same physician during that surgery's postoperative global period, to show it should be paid on its own and does not restart or extend the original global period incorrectly.
When it is not appropriate
Do not use 79 for a service that is actually related to, or a complication of, the original surgery; that situation calls for modifier 78 (unplanned related return) or is simply included in the global package.
CMS preference
79 is one of the global surgery modifiers CMS lists as able to bypass an NCCI PTP edit specifically for genuinely unrelated same period procedures.
Retrieved 2026-07-18.
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DenialPath provides billing and administrative guidance based on published CMS and X12 sources. It is not medical advice, not a coverage determination, and not a guarantee of payment. NCCI and MUE edits are republished quarterly and payer policies vary by contract. Always confirm against the payer's own current policy before submitting or appealing.