When is modifier -TC used?

• A. Denotes the technical component of a service.
• B. Indicates the professional component of a service billed separately.
• C. Denotes telemedicine real-time.
• D. Used to bundle payments.

Answer: (A)

Modifier -TC is used to indicate the technical component of a service. In many diagnostic services, the work has two parts: the technical component (the facility’s use of equipment and the technician’s performance) and the professional component (the physician’s interpretation). When you want to bill only for the technical portion—often done when the interpretation is billed separately or provided by a different entity—you append -TC to the CPT code. The corresponding modifier for billing the professional component alone is -26. Telemedicine real-time uses different modifiers (such as -GT or -RT), not -TC. Bundling payments isn't determined by -TC; it’s handled through payer-specific guidelines and other modifiers or rules. So -TC’s role is to denote the technical component of a service.