What does global period mean?
Based upon medical billing standards, reimbursement for a surgical procedure includes post-surgical care for a specific time period which is described as the global period. No office visits are billed during this time period. Depending upon the surgery, the global period can be 1, 10 or 90 days. Major orthopaedic surgeries have a 90 day global period. Services or supplies such as X-rays or splints ordered during the global period are not included in surgical reimbursement and will be billed.
