Medicare classifies surgeries as major, with a ___-day postoperative period.

• A. 60
• B. 30
• C. 90
• D. 120

Answer: (C)

Medicare uses a global postoperative period to bundle follow-up care into the payment for a surgical procedure. For major surgeries, that period is ninety days. During these ninety days, related follow-up visits, wound care, and management of any complications tied to the procedure are considered part of the original surgery’s payment. After that window, billing for additional related services would typically be separate, unless another rule applies. The other options don’t fit Medicare’s standard practice for major surgery because they don’t match the recognized global period length for major procedures.