Modifier 24
CPT modifier indicating an unrelated E/M service performed by the same provider during a postoperative global period.
1 min read · Last reviewed May 23, 2026
At a glance
- Category
- Billing
- Primary sources
- 2
- Workspace handoff
- denial workbench →
Where this comes up
This shows up in revenue-cycle work — claim scrubbing, charge entry, posting, A/R follow-up, and month-end close. Billers and practice managers hit this term when reconciling a payment, working a denial queue, or auditing why a claim aged past 60 days.
Full definition
What it is in practice
CMS recognizes modifier 24 to allow payment for an E/M during the global period of an unrelated surgery. Documentation must clearly establish the unrelated nature.
How it shows up in your practice
Use modifier 24 when the visit is for a problem unrelated to the prior procedure. Document the diagnosis distinctly; payers often request records for modifier-24 claims.
Sources
- CMS MLN — Modifier 24 (Unrelated E/M in Global Period)https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/modifiers
- CMS MLN — Global Surgery Booklethttps://www.cms.gov/outreach-and-education/medicare-learning-network-mln/mlnproducts/downloads/globallsurgery-icn907166.pdf
Defend modifier-24 denials in the Denial Workbench
Open denial workbench →Related terms
- BillingGlobal PeriodThe period of time during which the payer considers most related preoperative and postoperative services bundled into the surgical fee.
- BillingModifier 25CPT modifier indicating that a significant, separately identifiable E/M service was performed by the same provider on the same day as another procedure or service.
- BillingModifier 79CPT modifier indicating an unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period.
- CodingE/M CodingEvaluation and Management codes (99202-99499) used to bill office, hospital, and other professional visits.
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Related across the archive
- GlossaryModifier 79CPT modifier indicating an unrelated procedure or service by the same physician during the postoperative period.
- GlossaryGlobal PeriodThe period of time during which the payer considers most related preoperative and postoperative services bundled into the surgical fee.
- GlossaryModifier 25CPT modifier indicating that a significant, separately identifiable E/M service was performed by the same provider on the same day as another procedure or service.
- BillingModifier 25: When to Use It and Common MistakesWhen to use modifier -25, when to skip it, and the common mistakes that trigger audits and denials.
- GlossaryE/M CodingEvaluation and Management codes (99202-99499) used to bill office, hospital, and other professional visits.
- GlossaryModifier 22CPT modifier indicating increased procedural services requiring substantially greater work than usually required.
- GlossaryModifier 26CPT modifier indicating the professional component of a procedure.
- RegulationNCCI Global Surgical Package PolicyMedicare's global surgical package bundles preoperative, intraoperative, and routine postoperative care into a single payment for the surgical CPT code, with global periods of 0, 10, or 90 days.
This glossary entry is a research aid for billing and compliance staff. It does not provide legal, medical, or financial advice and does not replace counsel. References cited link to primary sources at HHS, OCR, CMS, eCFR, NIST, and the relevant payer or industry body.