What is the Operating Physician field used for on UB-04?

• A. Identifies the physician who performed the principal operation or procedure.
• B. Identifies the hospital administrator.
• C. Identifies the anesthesiologist’s license.
• D. Identifies the referring physician.

Answer: (A)

The Operating Physician field identifies the physician who performed the principal operation or procedure. This is essential for accurate professional billing and medical records, as the claim needs to attribute the main surgical work to the correct clinician. It helps ensure the correct physician gets the appropriate professional charges and that the record shows who carried out the operation for auditing and continuity of care. It’s not meant to identify the hospital administrator, nor is it about the anesthesiologist’s license, and it isn’t the field for the referring physician who referred the patient.