Modifier 53
Discontinued procedure — physician elected to terminate/discontinue a procedure due to patient risk
✅ When to Use Modifier 53
When a surgical procedure is started but discontinued due to patient safety concerns (e.g., anesthesia complications, intraoperative findings).
⛔ When NOT to Use Modifier 53
Do NOT use for elective cancellation before the procedure begins. For ASC: use 73 (before anesthesia) or 74 (after anesthesia) instead.
📋 Documentation Requirements
Document what was started, the reason for discontinuation, and what was accomplished.
Modifier 53 FAQ
What does modifier 53 mean? +
Discontinued procedure — physician elected to terminate/discontinue a procedure due to patient risk
When should I use modifier 53? +
When a surgical procedure is started but discontinued due to patient safety concerns (e.g., anesthesia complications, intraoperative findings).
When should I NOT use modifier 53? +
Do NOT use for elective cancellation before the procedure begins. For ASC: use 73 (before anesthesia) or 74 (after anesthesia) instead.
What documentation is required for modifier 53? +
Document what was started, the reason for discontinuation, and what was accomplished.
Get the full PayerReady toolkit
Free access to CPT/ICD-10 lookup, denial appeals, fee comparator, and claim auditing with credentialing enrollment.
Start free →Run this code through our claim audit tool
Check NCCI bundling, MUE limits, and modifier logic before submission.
Try the auditor →Related Modifiers
Did this page help?
Quick signal so we know what to improve.
If you want a code reference page that doesn't exist yet, email coding@payerready.com.
Tell us what's missing or wrong: coding@payerready.com. We respond within 5 business days.
Reviewed by the PayerReady Medical Coding Team
Verified against the CMS 2026 code set on July 16, 2026.
Powered by 11K CPT · 98K ICD-10 · 860K MPFS rates · 4.5M NCCI edits · 9.5M NPIs. Our data methodology · About our coding team