Assistant at Surgery
DESCRIPTION
An assistant at surgery actively assists the operating surgeon in the performance of a surgical procedure. A licensed physician or a licensed physician assistant who is credentialed as an assistant at surgery can provide the services of an assistant at surgery.
POLICY
The use of an assistant at surgery when the complexity of the surgery warrants an assistant is considered medically necessary. (See Medical Appropriateness below.)
MEDICAL APPROPRIATENESS
The use of an assistant at surgery for certain procedures will be considered medically appropriate as determined by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee using nationally recognized standards.
Services of an assistant at surgery may be considered medically appropriate for less complex procedures under special circumstances. In such cases, the primary surgeon should document this need.
Services of a second assistant at surgery may be medically appropriate in more complex surgical situations. In such cases, the primary surgeon should document this need.
Other non-physicians (e.g., nurse practitioners, certified surgical assistants) are considered ancillary support for the surgeon and therefore cannot be considered as an assistant at surgery.
ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE: 3/1980
MOST RECENT REVIEW DATE: 9/25/2008
ID_BT
Policies included in the Medical Policy Manual are not intended to certify coverage availability. They are medical determinations about a particular technology, service, drug, etc. While a policy or technology may be medically necessary, it could be excluded in a member's benefit plan. Please check with the appropriate claims department to determine if the service in question is a covered service under a particular benefit plan. Use of the Medical Policy Manual is not intended to replace independent medical judgment for treatment of individuals. The content on this Web site is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice in any way. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider if you have questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.
This document has been classified as public information.