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ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

READER QUESTIONS :

Ensure Counseling Claims With Pointed Questions

Published on Sun Aug 02, 2009

Question: Can I report alcohol cessation counseling codes along with ED E/M codes, or do I have to choose one or the other? Idaho Subscriber Answer: You can, and in most cases will, report counseling codes along with E/M services. The behavior change intervention codes are intended to be reported in addition to an E/M service when the provider furnishes them. Most counseling sessions in the ED occur after the provider performs some sort of E/M. Consider this case study: A patient presents to the ED with a large bruise on his forehead. He says he fell off the curb while walking. The patient's skin is a splotchy yellow, and he reports experiencing generalized fatigue "for as long as I can remember." Due to the smell of alcohol and the patient's symptoms, the physician asks the patient if he has been drinking. The patient says, "Yes", so the physician decides [...]
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