The Teaching Physician Modifiers “GC” & “GE” Effective July 1, 1996, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) introduced the term “teaching physician” to refer to an academic attending physician. In addition, HCFA introduced two new modifiers in January 1997 that are to be used for identification of services and procedures rendered by a “teaching physician” in conjunction with a resident. These modifiers are “GC” and “GE.” Currently, these modifiers are informational only. “GC” The teaching physician must make the selection of the procedure code, and should indicate on the encounter form if a resident participated in the performance of the service by appending the service code with the “GC” modifier. This modifier is not needed if the “teaching physician” attending documents an independent note for the service. A “good faith effort” must be made to complete this additional information. “GE” The “GE” modifier identifies services rendered in a primary care outpatient clinic, once the Medicare carrier has been notified that the primary care exceptions, noted in the Physicians At Teaching Hospitals (PATH) regulations, have been met. Neither modifier has been or will be “hard coded” into the IDX system by Shared Practice. We will continue to look to the attending physician to provide this information. Return to Contents | Return to Billing Compliance