The use, or misuse, of Current Procedural Terminology code modifiers in physician compensation plans could lead to unintended cash compensation figures.

Current procedural terminology modifiers 25 and 57 may be confusing to some coders, but each serves a specific purpose, according to an AAPC report.

Modifier 59 is the most commonly used and abused modifier for Medicare reimbursement of CPT codes in acupuncture, breast biopsies, physical therapy, radiology, surgery and other medical practices.

Modifier -33 is attached to the lab CPT code for the cholesterol screening. ICD-9 code V77.91 (screening for lipoid disorders) is coded as an additional diagnosis.