CPT Code 59620 Cesarean Delivery Only After Attempted VBAC (Delivery-Only Global)

Overview

CPT 59620 is used when a patient with a prior cesarean delivery attempts a vaginal birth, but it fails, and the provider performs a cesarean delivery only without antepartum or postpartum services. This delivery-only global code includes hospital admission, labor management, delivery of the fetus and placenta via abdominal incision, and immediate post-delivery care on the same date of service. It does not cover prenatal or postpartum.

Purpose

This code ensures providers are reimbursed specifically for cesarean delivery when VBAC isn't successful, without overlapping antepartum or postpartum billing. It's essential in split-care scenarios and prevents global bundle misuse.

Clinical Scenarios Where 59620 Applies

• A patient attempts VBAC, labor fails, and provider performs Cesarean only.
• Prenatal care was completed elsewhere or by another provider.
• Postpartum care will be handled separately by you or another provider.

Procedure Overview

• Inclusions: Hospital admission, labor management (if needed), surgical cesarean delivery (fetus and placenta via abdominal incision), and immediate inpatient care on the day of delivery.
• Exclusions: Prenatal visits and any postpartum services beyond the day of delivery.

Documentation Requirements

• Admission and operative note outlining the failed VBAC attempt and details of surgical delivery.
• Notation that no antepartum or postpartum visits were included.
• Fetal and placental delivery details and patient outcome.

Billing and Reimbursement Tips

• Bill once per pregnancy, only the delivery portion (59620) if antepartum or postpartum care is billed separately or by another provider.
• Ensure the documentation clearly states that the VBAC attempt failed and only vaginal delivery was handled.
• Understand payer policies to avoid global care denials. 59620 must not be billed if the same provider provides antepartum or postpartum care.

BillingFreedom: Driving Revenue Precision for CPT 59620 Cases

When a VBAC attempt fails and you step in only for the cesarean delivery, your work deserves full, clean, and compliant reimbursement. However, with delivery-only codes like CPT 59620, even the smallest documentation gap or coding error can result in thousands of dollars in costs and create compliance risks.

At BillingFreedom, we specialize in high-complexity OBGYN billing, ensuring delivery-only cases are coded, paired, and submitted with precision. Our OBGYN medical billing services are built to protect every dollar you earn:

• 15–20% higher payment accuracy through meticulous operative note abstraction and failed-VBAC code pairing
• 20–25% faster collections with pre-submission audits that prevent payer hold-ups before they happen
• Up to 30% fewer denials by aligning every claim with payer-specific edit logic and NCCI compliance
• 97–99% first-pass acceptance rates so you get paid cleanly, the first time, every time

You focus on the patient at one of the most critical moments of their care, we’ll make sure your revenue outcome matches your clinical excellence.

BillingFreedom: Turning complex OBGYN billing into predictable, profitable results.

For more details about our exceptional medical billing services, please don't hesitate to contact us via email at info@billingfreedom.com or call us at +1 (855) 415-3472. 

Your financial tranquility is our priority!