Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Practice Exam

The two-digit modifier that indicates a physician performed the postoperative management while another physician performed the surgery is 55. This modifier is specifically used to denote that the surgeon has transferred the responsibility for postoperative care to another physician after the surgery has taken place.

In the context of surgical procedures, it's common for one physician to handle the actual surgical intervention, while another physician may take over the follow-up care after the surgery is completed. This distinction is important for coding and billing purposes as it helps to clarify the roles of the healthcare providers involved and ensures accurate reimbursement for the services rendered.

The other modifiers serve different purposes. For instance, 25 indicates a significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service performed on the same day as the procedure, while 50 refers to bilateral procedures performed at the same session. Modifier 80 is related to assistant surgeons. These modifiers do not apply to the situation of postoperative care management being provided by a different physician than the one who performed the surgery.