Question:
What are the reporting requirements for the JW modifier in OPPS hospitals when billing for discarded drugs?
Answer:
Reporting of the JW modifier is required as of January 1, 2017. When reporting both the administered volume of a drug as well as the discarded amount of a drug prepared from a single-dose vial or single-use package, providers are instructed to document the discarded drug or biological in the patient’s medical record. For OPPS hospitals, reporting this modifier is required for all separately payable drugs assigned status indicators G (Pass-through Drugs and Biologicals) or K (Nonpass-through Drugs and Nonimplantable Biologicals, including Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals) when an unused or discarded amount is documented and submitted for reimbursement.
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