ED Coding and Reimbursement Alert

Question:A father brings his 6-year-old child to the ED; according to encounter notes, the emergency medical technician said the patient had been "seizing for @least 30 min."During the history portion of the E/M, the physician discovers the child has a history of seizure disorders and the parents administered rectal valium without relief before dialing 911. The EMT administered intravenous lorazepam before driving the patient to the hospital. The patient required intubation secondary to respiratory failure, so the physician administered a propofol infusion for sedation and to control the seizures. The ED physician consults with a pediatrician, and the two agree that the patient should be admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The ED physician provided 90 minutes of critical care exclusive of the intubation. Should I report 99475 for this encounter?Minnesota SubscriberAnswer: You should report the "standard" critical care codes for this encounter -- not 99475. On the [...]