Which modifier would NOT typically be used with procedures performed under general anesthesia?

Modifier 23 is used to indicate that a procedure performed under general anesthesia was more complex than usual, necessitating it for the procedure. This modifier aims to convey the additional complexity to payers who might not otherwise expect a procedure that normally doesn’t require general anesthesia to be performed that way.

In contrast, the other modifiers serve different purposes. Modifier 24 is used to indicate an unrelated evaluation and management service by the same physician during a postoperative period, while modifier 25 identifies a significant, separately identifiable evaluation and management service performed the same day as a procedure. Modifier 26 refers to the professional component of a service when a procedure has both a technical and a professional component, such as diagnostic tests or imaging.

Given the specific context of general anesthesia, modifier 23 is the least likely to apply because it addresses circumstances surrounding the complexity of anesthesia rather than justifying the necessity of using general anesthesia itself.