Major surgical procedures typically have what global period?

Major surgical procedures typically have a global period of 90 days. This global period reflects the time frame during which the surgeon is responsible for all care related to the procedure, including pre-operative visits, the surgical procedure itself, and all follow-up visits that occur within this time frame.

During the 90-day global period, any complications or additional care required that is directly related to the surgery are included in the initial payment for the procedure, meaning that no further payment is made for services rendered during this time unless they demonstrate a clear reason to be outside the global surgical package. Understanding this helps medical coders and billers accurately assign codes and ensure proper reimbursement for surgical services while adhering to the guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other insurance providers.