Table 2.

Modifiers That Affect Cost

Modifier	Type of Service	Definition	Impact
50	Physician fee and gap schedules	Bilateral procedure	Increase to 150% of fee/cost
51	Physician fee and gap schedules	Multiple procedure	Reduce to 50% of fee/cost
62	Physician fee and gap schedules	Cosurgeon	Reduce to 62.5% of fee/cost
AS, 80, 81, 82	Physician fee and gap schedules	Surgery assistant	Reduce to 16% of fee/cost
QK	Anesthesia	Medical direction by a physician of 2, 3, or 4 concurrent anesthesia procedures	Reduce to 50% of fee/cost
QX	Anesthesia	CRNA/AA service with medical direction by a physician	Reduce to 50% of fee/cost
QY	Anesthesia	Medical direction of one CRNA/AA by an anesthesiologist	Reduce to 50% of fee/cost
P1	Anesthesia	Healthy patient	Add 0 units to base
P2	Anesthesia	Patient with mild systemic disease	Add 0 units to base
P3	Anesthesia	Patient with severe systemic disease	Add 1 unit to base
P4	Anesthesia	Patient with severe systemic disease that is a constant threat to life	Add 2 units to base
P5	Anesthesia	Moribund patient who is not expected to survive without the operation	Add 3 units to base
P6	Anesthesia	A patient who has been declared “brain dead” and whose organs are being removed for donor purposes	Add 0 units to base

Abbreviations: AA anesthesiologist’s assistance, CRNA certified registered nurse anesthetist