Can a PA assist at surgery when a qualified resident is involved in a surgical procedure(s) as well?
YES, provided the surgical procedure(s) requires an assistant, the PA has direct supervision by the faculty member(s) he or she is employed by, and the PA’s services are not being billed by the hospital. The operative report would need to state that the PA’s services were required. No modifier would need to be attached to the service, however, the type of service would need to be indicated on the claim form. The type of service is “8”. The Medicaid reimbursement rate for a PA assisting at surgery varies.
