Global Period

A global period is a bundled payment system in medical billing established by Medicare to cover extensive surgical treatments and processes. It encompasses all care related to a surgery provided by the surgeon or their team, both before and after the procedure. This system helps payers determine what is included in the surgical package, preventing separate billing for surgical procedures, post-operative visits, and care by healthcare providers seeking complete and timely reimbursements.

The global period can vary based on the type of surgical procedure, typically falling into 0-day, 10-day, or 90-day categories as defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). A 0-day global period means no preoperative or postoperative care is included, covering only the day of the procedure. A 10-day global period includes services and follow-ups related to the operation within 10 days, billed at once. A 90-day global period covers all follow-up visits or services provided by the healthcare providers or their staff. The specific global period assigned to a procedure is determined by factors such as its complexity and typical recovery time.