Question
Hello,
Love your site. We have a part time employee that will graduate with an ASN this coming December, if we hired her full time, would she be a billable employee for us?
Thank you,
Cathy
Answer
Hi Cathy,
Just to make sure I answer your question correctly, ASN is for an assistant Surgical Nurse, correct? If so, then you would be able to bill for her services. Most insurance carriers do not credential ASN’s but since the ASN is an employee of the surgeon, the surgeon usually bills for the surgery as usual, and then bills for the ASN's services with the same CPT code as the surgery but with the 80 modifier to indicate assistant's fee. It is billed under the surgeon's name & tax ID#. I would recommend that you contact the larger insurance carriers in your area to verify that this is how they want the services billed. (Obviously, the procedures that do not require an assist, will not be reimbursed.)
Hope that helps! If that is not the question you were asking, please let me know.
Thanks
Michele
Question
Michele,
Thanks for the information. That's good to know.
I believe the ASN is an Associate in Science of Nursing. She's working up to an RN, but this is what she will have come this December. Is that billable?
Cathy
Answer
Hi Cathy,
What services will she be performing? Most insurances do not credential RN's or ASN's individually, but if she is performing services that the dr is supervising then the services would be billed under the dr's name (as if he/she performed the service). I'm not sure if I answered your question fully, but I hope it cleared things up a little!
Thanks
Michele
She would be performing services such as taking x-rays, injections, aspirations, etc. The doctor might not be present within the patient room, but would be in the building.
Cathy
Cathy back
Cathy,
Yes, when a nurse is employed by a physician, the physician can bill for the services performed by the nurse, as long as the services are within the nurses ‘scope of practice.’ Even if the dr isn't in the room, he is considered supervising. (He must be in the building.)
Thanks
Michele
