Advanced Search

Revenue Cycle Insider

E/M Coding:

Don’t Get Hung up on Phone Visit Coding

Published on Wed Aug 19, 2026

You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.

Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:

Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
Instant access to every article ever published in Revenue Cycle Insider
6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs
The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more

Other Articles of

August 2026

Pulmonology Coding:
Assign Signs and Symptoms Codes When the Pathology Hasn’t Returned
Question: A patient presented to our pulmonology practice with a chronic dry cough and exertional [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Identify Margins, Measurements, and Malignancy for WLE Coding
Also, learn how to navigate closures and modifiers for malignant lesion excision. A wide local [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Remove the Coding Confusion With Drainage and FBR Smarts
Do you know what makes a foreign body removal procedure simple versus complicated? If documentation [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Know How to Line up Providers With Proper EEG Codes
Physicians and technologists have their own CPT® codes for these tests. When a patient presents [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Use Coding Knowledge to Stabilize Cranial Tong/Halo Applications
Be sure to count the number of pins the surgeon inserts on cranial halos. Patients [...]

RCI Bonus Content:
Check out the 2027 CPT® Changes That Could Impact Your Coding
Be ready for one of the largest CPT® revisions in recent history. With 300 new [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Avoid Confusing PCO Treatment With Cataract Surgery
Can you report YAG capsulotomy and cataract surgery on the same DOS? Sometimes, a cataract [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Sequence the Injury Code Before the External Cause Code
Question: A 5-year-old established patient presents to their family physician’s office with their parent after [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Don’t Slip up When Distributing Diabetic Shoes
Question: Our podiatrist examines the patient, prescribes therapeutic diabetic shoes, and then provides the shoes [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Use This Guidance to Document Work Involved in Care Coordination
Know how to code behind-the-scenes communication between providers. Providers often need to communicate with one [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Consider Distinct Billing Challenges for Complex Cardiac and Neurosurgical Anesthesia
Hint: Reporting provider relief involves capturing time units accurately. Coding anesthesia for complex cardiac and [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
Be Careful Coding a Localized Reaction to a Bee Sting
Question: A patient presents to the physician’s office with an extremely swollen foot after a [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Be Aware of the Many Ways Auras Can Impact Migraine Patients
Question: A patient with migraine reports a darkening around the edges of their visual field [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Don’t Be Stymied When Coding This Red-Eye Encounter
Question: An established 42-year-old patient presents to a family medicine office with two days of [...]

Practice Management:
Keep Online Scheduling From Creating Access and Privacy Problems
Question: Our multispecialty practice recently enabled online scheduling through the patient portal. A patient selected [...]

Practice Management:
Don’t Automatically Bill Patients After a Denial
Reader Question: Our orthopedic practice obtained prior authorization from a patient’s Medicare Advantage (MA) plan [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Identify a Solitary Pulmonary Nodule Code for This Chest CT Case
Question: A new senior patient presented to the pulmonology practice after an opacity in the [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Use This Coding Combo for Ear Abscess and Eardrum Perforation
Question: One of our providers diagnosed a patient with an acute recurrent abscess of the [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Provide Seniors With the Medical Care They Need in the Home They Love
Know when your patient last ate with in-home monitors. With an approximately 16 million senior [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Scour Inclusion Terms Before Settling on ‘Other’ MD Dx
Question: Encounter notes indicate that the physician treated a patient with “Emry-Dreyfuss MD.” I’m pretty [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Understand ‘Trained Observer’ Role in Anesthesia Procedures
Question: Sometimes a trained observer monitors the patient undergoing sedation while a physician performs the [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Get a Handle on HPV Test Coding
Question: Can you explain the difference between the human papillomavirus (HPV) tests? Revenue Cycle Insider [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Reduce Coding Confusion Surrounding Inguinal Hernia Repair
Question: A 58-year-old patient presented for surgery on a right inguinal hernia. The patient had [...]

Pulmonology Coding:
Bolster Your Coding Knowledge for BLVR Procedures
Know when a diagnostic bronchoscopy is bundled. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) with endobronchial valve [...]

Compliance:
Nurture a Culture of Compliance to Prioritize Integrity
Make sure workers do what’s right, even when no one is watching. Compliance should be [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Identify the Signs and Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Before a diagnosis is determined, coding can be tricky. You’ve probably encountered numerous claims and [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Code Hyperlipidemia Management to the Documented Specificity
Question: An established 68-year-old patient returns to the cardiology office for follow-up of atherosclerotic heart [...]

Neurosurgery Coding:
Keep Anatomy in Mind When Coding Nerve Injections
Question: When the surgeon performs an autonomic nerve injection with an anesthetic agent, how should [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Code This Arthrocentesis Procedure Correctly
Question: A 57-year-old established patient came into our office with complaints of increasing pain, swelling, [...]

Medicare Regulations:
See CMS Telehealth Guide for Enrollment Questions
Question: I am trying to navigate the process to get my provider set up for [...]

Compliance:
Know When a Coding Audit Finding Belongs in the Board Report
Question: One of our three outpatient practices has missed our 95 percent coding accuracy target [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Don’t Use an O Code When Obesity Isn’t Documented as a Pregnancy Complication
Question: A patient who is six weeks pregnant presents with pelvic pain on their right [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Recognize How to Report Primary vs. Secondary Achilles Tendon Reconstruction
Find out how you need to document grafts. Orthopedic coders frequently encounter varying terminology when [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Press the Brakes on AI Adoption, Says the ABR
Question: The growth and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is impressive. I understand [...]

Urology Coding:
Try Your Skills at Coding Kidney Procedures
See how you score with this nephrectomy quiz! When it comes to nephrectomy coding, the [...]

General Surgery Coding:
Recognize How to Code This Rapidly Spreading Infection
Question: A 63-year-old patient presented to the emergency department (ED) with severe perineal pain and [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Do You Use M79.89 or R22.- to Report Swelling in the Leg?
Question: I have a radiology report for three-view X-rays of a patient’s lower left leg, [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Know the Nitty-Gritty of Modifier Use in Cardiology
Find out how to limit your audit risk by navigating modifier guidelines. Modifiers can be [...]

E/M Coding:
Become an Exceptional E/M Coder via Expert Advice
A few specific details in your practitioner’s notes can make all the difference. When it [...]

General Coding:
‘The Physician Talked to the Patient’ Is Not Enough for Modifier 25
Question: An established patient presents for a diagnostic procedure. Before the procedure begins, the physician [...]

E/M Coding:
Don’t Get Hung up on Phone Visit Coding
Question: Our provider, Dr. Thompson, completed a phone visit with an established patient for chronic disease [...]

General Coding:
Don’t Use a Modifier Just to Override a NCCI Edit
Question: A patient with atherosclerotic heart disease undergoes a diagnostic cardiac catheterization 93458 (Catheter placement [...]

Cardiology Coding:
Don’t Append Modifier 26 When You Performed the Global Service
Question: A cardiology practice performs an echocardiogram on a patient with chronic diastolic (congestive) heart [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Take This Advice for Accurate Nasal Ablation Coding
Know the major mistakes to avoid. Chronic rhinitis (CR) is persistent inflammation or dysfunction of [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Evaluate This EGD and Stricture Dilation Coding Conundrum
Question: A 68-year-old patient with longstanding gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and esophagitis presented with worsening [...]

Diagnostic Radiology Coding:
Learn Why Radiologists Use Dual-Energy CT to Evaluate Patients
Plus: You’ll be surprised by how to code DECT procedures. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Recognize How to Code a Rust Ring Removal Procedure
Question: A 63-year-old patient presented to the emergency department (ED) thinking they had a fleck [...]

General Coding:
Check Payer and CLIA Information Before Appending Modifier QW
Question: I work for an outpatient office where providers regularly perform and interpret in-house testing [...]

General Coding:
Find out Why CPT® Category II Codes Matter More Than Ever
Value-based care involves painting a more complete picture for payers. Value-based contracts for care are [...]

Neurology & Pain Management Coding:
Use 1 Code for 4-Limb EP Study
Question: A 34-year-old reports months of numbness and tingling in both hands and feet, now [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Get Acquainted With Dx for Cyclosporiasis, Other Foodborne Infections
Question: What is the proper ICD-10-CM code for cyclosporiasis? With all I’m hearing about it [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Use This Code Sequence for Palliative Chemotherapy Aftercare
Question: A patient came back to us following palliative chemotherapy for primary liver cancer. Is [...]

Primary Care Coding:
Report Signs and Symptoms for This Swollen Knee Presentation
Question: A provider’s documentation says an established patient presented with right knee pain and swelling [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Tally AI’s Sway on Lab Operations
Understand the forthcoming changes to Appendix S By any other name, artificial intelligence (AI) is [...]

Anesthesia Coding:
Choose the Tympanotomy Code for Pediatric Ear Tubes
Question: A 4-year-old child with recurrent otitis media undergoes bilateral myringotomy with tympanostomy tube placement. [...]

E/M Coding:
Know When to Use an E/M Code in Place of a CPO Code
Question: We have a patient who is currently eligible for home-based care, and our oncologist [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Face This Fasciectomy Procedure With Confidence
Question: There’s a conflict between the professional and technical coding for this procedure. The provider [...]

Orthopedic Coding:
Examine This EIP to EPL Tendon Transfer Coding Case
Question: I have an operative note for an encounter where the orthopedic surgeon performed a [...]

Emergency Department Coding:
Remember to Code Needle Decompression for This eFAST Exam
Question: A patient presents to the emergency department (ED) with respiratory distress, hypotension, and a [...]

Otolaryngology Coding:
Don’t Roll the DISE With This Code Choice
Question: I am trying to find the right code for a drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). [...]

Practice Management:
Focus on the Data to Help Optimize Revenue
AI is here to stay, and organizations will embrace the technology or risk being left [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Use These 2 Codes for Pancoast Tumor Pain Management
Question: We treated a patient for severe pain due to a Pancoast tumor. How should [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Get Ready for the Relaunch of PEPPER!
See how the program can help with compliance efforts. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [...]

Medicare Regulations:
Do You Understand Inpatient Admission Criteria? Find out
Question: I am reviewing an inpatient medical record, and the attending physician documented the following: [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
What Do You Do When ‘Screening’ Isn’t Supported by the Medical Record?
Do not assume the heading on the procedure report tells the entire story. Documentation drives [...]

Urology Coding:
Navigate This Wandering Testicle Case
Question: A 32-year-old presents to our urology clinic with concerns about intermittent movement of their left [...]

Path/Lab Coding:
Location Key to This Test Denial
Question: We just received a denial for 80307 with place of service (POS) 22. Why [...]

Pediatric Coding:
See How Hypoxia and Hospitalization Discussions Affect E/M Selection
Question: Our pediatrician evaluated a 9-month-old established patient whose parent reported three days of cough, [...]

ICD-10-CM Coding:
All in the Timing: Coding Essentials for Acute, Chronic, and Acute-On-Chronic Conditions
Hint: Not all recent symptoms indicate acute status. Coders rely on provider documentation to determine [...]

Optometry/Ophthalmology Coding:
Will Society Guidance and AI Combine to Streamline Clinical Decision Making?
Question: With new studies, treatment options, and diagnostic technologies emerging regularly, how can ophthalmology practices [...]

Oncology/Hematology Coding:
Know How to Avoid Compliance Pitfalls and Support Accurate Cancer Dx Coding, Part 2
Understand how to document and support active or history Dx coding. In part 1 of [...]

Podiatry Coding:
Pinpoint How to Code Neuroma Removal Procedures
Find out the difference between regular and Morton’s neuromas. Per the American Podiatric Medical [...]

Urology Coding:
Don’t Let Lithotripsy Confuse Your Stone Removal Coding
Question: My urologist removed a kidney stone through a percutaneous approach, but the radiology department [...]

Pediatric Coding:
Get a Handle on Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Question: A parent brings their 4-year-old child to the family pediatrician’s office after the child [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Provide Gestational Diabetes Care for Rural or Underserved Pregnant Patients
Question: As our organization works to improve maternal health outcomes, we are exploring novel approaches [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Avoid Coding Errors for Endometriosis Involving the Bowel
Question: I’m coding an operative report for a patient with severe endometriosis. During the procedure, [...]

Gastroenterology Coding:
Code This Colonoscopy Following a Positive FIT Result
Question: I read the Revenue Cycle Insider article, “Check out These 7 Steps to [...]

Technology & Innovation in Healthcare:
Find out When Audio-Only Visits Still Qualify for E/M Payment
Question: I’m reviewing a telehealth encounter where the provider documented a 15-minute audio-only visit with [...]

Ob-Gyn Coding:
Find out What Every OB Coder Needs to Know About the 2027 Maternity Coding Reset
Say goodbye to bundled procedures and hello to individual service codes. Effective Jan. 1, 2027, [...]

View All

Subscribe to newsletter