How to Calculate Global Period

Global period is a medical billing term used to determine the acceptance or rejection of fees related to a surgery. It is a period of time beginning with a surgical event and ending with a specified period of time after the surgery. Normally, insurance companies will not accept billing for additional surgery-related fees within the global period. Additional fees are typically considered components of the surgery package, and if billed, are normally rejected. Thus, it is important to be able to calculate global period in order to accurately bill an insurance company.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the date of surgery. This is the basis for calculating global period and should not be estimated.

• 2

  Count one day prior to the date of the surgery. For example, if the surgery date is July 2, the global period would begin on July 1. For minor surgeries, most insurance policies begin counting the global period on the date of the surgery, rather than one day prior to the surgery.

• 3

  Count 90 days from the date of the surgery. This is the last day of the global period. For minor surgeries, the global period may be less than 90 days.