🩺
1500 Claim BillingBETA
Sign In

Modifiers GC & GE: Teaching Physician Billing Guidelines

Last Updated: June 28, 2026

Academic medical centers and teaching hospitals must follow strict Medicare guidelines when billing for services performed by a resident under the supervision of a teaching physician. This is controlled using Modifiers GC and GE.

Interactive Medical Coding Assistant

Look up CPT/HCPCS/ICD-10 rules, check NCCI bundling edits, verify Medicare LCD coverage, or check provider NPIs instantly.

Modifier GC: Direct Involvement

Use Modifier GC to indicate that the service was performed in part by a resident under the direction of a teaching physician. The teaching physician must be present during the key or critical portions of the service and must personally document their involvement.

Modifier GE: The Primary Care Exception

Use Modifier GE for services performed by a resident without the presence of a teaching physician, under the "Primary Care Exception." This only applies to specific primary care centers where the resident has been in the program for at least 6 months, and the teaching physician is immediately available and reviews the care.

NCCI and Modifier Placements

Check NCCI Edits Instantly

Not sure if these codes bundle? Check the latest Medicare NCCI database updates before you bill.

GC and GE modifiers are informational, but they must be placed accurately on the claim line alongside any pricing modifiers (like 25 or 59). Use our checker to ensure correct modifier stacking.

Check Codes, NCCI Edits & Medical Necessity in Seconds

Use our free Medical Coding Assistant to lookup CPT/ICD-10 descriptions, check Medicare LCD rules, verify NPIs, or auto-fill CMS-1500 claims with AI.